The Cool Sound of Ava Luna "Clips"

I first became aware of Ava Luna while scrolling my daily site visits. If You Make It (Pink Couch Sessions) is one of them. The sound Ava Luna created sitting on the crowded pink couch was different than anything previously uploaded on the site and kind of intoxicating. So by complete and utter chance, I ran into two band members on a cold winter night as we waited outside a music loft event to see Vio Mire. I said, "aren't you the band Ava Luna, I loved your video" They were kind of taken aback since the video went up on the site that day. This video features the song "Clips," creating a sound of roughed-up electronic soul combined with out-of-this-world girl harmonies. Two obvious influences are a mix of Dirty Projectors and Jamie Lidell. What could be better?

Ava Luna - Clips from Hooks on Vimeo.

North Highlands Kick off Sound Bites Music Series

With scenic views and a breezy tempo Sound Bites, Bill Pearis kicked off his curatorial gig by booking bands for the South Street Seaport's festival summer season. Every Wednesday in June, starting at noon, Pearis will put on his DJ hat for an hour of tunes, followed by the scheduled band. Its formal title is Sound Bites Lunchtime Series, and it's free!

This Sunday during Memorial Day weekend, North Highlands, a Brooklyn quintet fronted on keys and lead vocals by Brenda Malvini, graced the stage. They played accessible and contagious music that was bouncy, poppy, and dreamy. The folk instruments like the mandolin and violin were delightfully integrated into an orchestral mix of keys, drums, and electric guitar. The drumming was especially awesome.

Brenda's voice has a smooth tonality with playful breathy aspects that are immediately endearing. When the band revs up in intensity, her voice and mannerisms animate to engage the audience. North Highlands is a tight and spunky band that has lots of heart. I loved them.

The line to buy North Highlands EP "Sugarlips" were longer than I expected. It was nice to see random passersby willing to shell out the dough for an unknown band.

If you can, don't miss June 2nd, Air Waves, June 9th, The Austin McCutchen Quartet, June 16th, Ribbons, June 23rd, The Beets, and June 30th, Toys, and Tiny Instruments Band.

Flickr Set HERE

Director Features Hop Along, Song "Sally"

Back in September Frances Quinlan of the Hop Along (the band) formally known as Hop Along Queen Ansleis (her solo effort), gave me her beautiful vinyl record Wretches released on Salinas Records. 

Jive Grave, Geo Wyeth's current project Live @ The Rockwood

I will follow the talented Geo Wyeth and any name, project, or direction he chooses to create. Going it solo for the past two years as Novice Theory, Geo has assembled a line-up of talented musicians to bring his ideas to fuller fruition with Jive Grave. His incredible skill as a solo performer is not lost in collaboration.

Wyeth is an accomplished pianist but has taken up the guitar with remarkable results. Hitting the strings instead of the keys and combining notes and chords with original results. The night at the Rockwood Music Hall on April 28th, the guitar was featured. Bravely he coordinated looping and brought out the nylon string guitar and harmonica for a folk song dedicated to his father.

The band of sax, flute, bass, and two drummers created a dynamic mix of Wyeth's original songs with a fusion of Jazz, rock, and folk. It was the unexpected that made the set such a delight to hear.

Don't miss Jive Grave at Arlene's Grocery this Tuesday, May 18th, and other NY dates are listed HERE.

Hell No, Art Event / Brooklyn

Hell No, an art event at Convent of Saint Cecilla in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, curated by David Fierman and RJ Supa, is scheduled to kick off on April 30th.

Press release:

The artists’ varied work deals with issues of violence, abstraction, sexuality, reflection, medicine, science, religion, consumer culture and its detritus, and art history, among other wide ranging topics. HELL, NO! aims to find the commonalities amongst the discord, to find the thematic and formal links that bring a cohesion to the chaos. Further, the space itself, a worn out, bare bones, beautiful and eerie former convent plays as much a role in the show as the art itself. Its quiet dignity, holding on in the face of half-finished and decaying glass towers surrounding it, presents a final HELL, NO!, reminiscent of the nuns who once inhabited it, working furiously to ward off condemnation and oblivion.

featuring RJ Supa, Leidy Churchman, Lucas Michael, Becky Brown, Wardell Milan, Jeremy Eilers, Richard Ziello, Matthew Kirk, Faren Ziello, Michael Mahalchick, Beth Beverly, Jaimes Mayhew, Amanda Maher, Cyle Metzger, Benjamin Fredrickson, Victoria Keddie, Hank Shedd, Gretchen Winterkorn, Carter, Titus Kaphar, Jaeeun Lee, Joshua Johnson, Davina Semo, Juan Bethancurt, Mike Kenney, Michael Hilsman, Julie Opperman, Virginia Vergera, Nora Griffin, Elias Melad, Marianna Ellenberg, Michael Rudokas, and more!

Earlier this spring, Fierman staged an art performance event to Save The Starlite Lounge in Crown Heights, the oldest "non-discriminating" African-American-owned bar in the city, from eviction. The performances were kitschy, edgy, theatrical, interactive, diverse, and fun. The Karaoke Queen Lady Jasmin, resident drag queen of the Starlite, was the master of ceremony, taking the Karaoke genre to mesmerizing levels.

See pictures Here featuring: Ryan McNamara, Lucas Michael, Fetchin' Gretchen, Black Waterfall, Bobby Service, Kalup Linzy, Michael Mahalchick, Dynasty Handbag, RJ Supa, and Lady Jasmin.

Crackerfarm Works His Magic On Langhorne Slim Video

Crackerfarm works his magic, quietly capturing all the grit and insane energy of Langhorne Slim live, creating a montage video of spliced-together shots of the band playing the song "Cinderella" at different venues.

I got a cameo dancing and received a lovely kiss from the stage at The Bell House @ 1:39 Vimeo time. “Cinderella” flirts with the listener, offering a soulful wink with the help of honkey tonk swing and an enthusiastic boy chorus. OCM 11/ 09

Crackerfarm's YouTube Channel

Langhorne Slim "Cinderella" from Kemado Records on Vimeo.

Langhorne Slim; Stomping @ City Winery live review

Langhorne Slim filled the beautiful City Winery with a soul-fiery epic performance. They made the 21,000-square-foot space feel intimate, crazy, and spontaneous. When it was over, I was drenched and satisfied in Langhorne Love.

City Winery is rustic chic, and spacious, with tables and patrons ready for music, dinner, and drinks. I Franky didn't know what to expect. I have seen Langhorne Slim so many times but rarely at a seated venue.

Langhorne managed to excite all the sitters and somehow got everyone to stand, clap and dance. At one point, he hopped out deep through the seats leaving the mic and band on stage. Still, there was no dead air, the audience just filled right in. He welcomed people up to dance and generally orchestrated a two-hour-long set.

They selected a broad range of songs and mixed everything up between acoustic, solo, and full band crowd pleasers like "Cinderella," "I Love to Dance," "In the Midnight," and "Mary." It was beautifully timed and selected but totally at the moment.

Langhorne naturally gives his fans and any audience his complete and undivided attention, and the awesome band Malachi Delorenzo (drums), David Moore (banjo/keyboard), and Jeff Ratner (bass) kept up with his every move, and that ain't easy!

Flickr Set documents the many facets of the set!

Max Vernon and Dan Fishback Share the Spotlight @ Joe's Pub

It was a night of firsts for musicians Max Vernon and Dan Fishback, who are about a decade apart, sharing the bill for their Joe's Pub debut. They have different music styles, but both are clever songsters and have the Charm factor sewn up.

Max Vernon rolled out a more poppy set than usual, playing solo on the piano, guitar, or keys and featuring the band in groupings or as a whole. It was an assemblage of diverse parts, whether acoustic, synth, cool backup vocals or the bow cello percussion it was smart-ass planning. In prime form were Vernon's magnificent vocal talent, smart as-hell songwriting, and piano chops that ease across the keys. He was so relaxed that he shared stories behind the songs. They were poignant, topical, or downright sassy. When he played his only slow song, "Pastels," fans in the rafters were cooing, and he replied, "I guess I got a hit." "Sirens" sounded great with the full band, and he strutted his tall frame at the keys with another new one, "The Morning After," with a little cool splice of Lady Gaga's "Just Dance." Max Vernon is spectacular to look at. His long, lean six-foot-three-inch frame is always styled to delight. Eye Candy, yes, but what really shines is his sincere and charmingly awkward way. Case in point as he entered and left the stage with a goofy wave. He could have soaked up the adoring attention and milked it with a long-deserved bow. Talent like his does not come around too often, and at twenty-one, his ability and determination will bring him a successful, long-lasting career. I'm just happy to be able to witness and document it from the beginning.

Dan Fishback's very high voice is pitch-perfect, clear, and pristine. He is proudly gay, reflected in his songwriting, and usually performs alone with his acoustic guitar. But for this performance, he pulled out all the stops with a very tight accomplished band featuring guitar, piano, and drums. In stark contrast to the serious side of the instrumentation were his comedic and witty lyrics. One example was the song "Make Out"/ I'm going to make out with everybody who philosophically disgusts me /.

Not familiar with his music, the first thing that came to mind was John Darnielle of the Mountain Goats, reflecting a certain rhythm and ongoing dialogue tied together with a great melody. A delight was the guest appearance by Sammy Tunis of the band The Lisps joining Dan for an acoustic duet. He ended the set with a proud anti-folk chorus contingent who joined him on the stage for the finale. His cutest remark of the night was when he said, "he didn't have time to write any new material because he was happily in love." His charming, sweet demeanor and cool geeky exterior were beyond endearing and a delight.

Photo tragedy: Dropped my camera, and the memory card fell out! So hopefully, the other photographers there will publish the real event. Max Vernon shot is a Faux Photo. Damn, I had some great shots now enclosed forever in a vacuum bag.

Sgt Dunbar and the Hobo Banned Muscular Live Sound @ Pete's Candy Store

On Saturday night, Sgt Dunbar and the Hobo Banned pulled out all the punches with their muscular sound and street-savvy creds at Pete's Candy Store. Clearly, their new material had more might and less folk. The heavy brass metal mash, double percussion, and a slew of hefty instruments trumped up the acoustic guitar, banjo, and violin to make way for an evolving new direction. Sgt. Dunbar brings the street into the venue, making music that is alive, at the moment, and vibrant. Busking has raised their stamina and connectedness. They are energized to perform for each other. The beneficiaries are the listeners. This was their eighteenth show and the last stop of their tour to SXSW and back. All eight members orchestrated instrument changes with ease and precision. No easy task to accomplish, especially on a small stage. I'm just stating the obvious,  but this takes practice and planning. They might call themselves Hobos,  but this outfit is a disciplined crew.

Hobo News on the horizon: Bob Boilen interviews Sgt. Dunbar and the Hobo Banned at the Studio SX. They were also interviewed by New York Times, so be on the lookout! Awesome Flickr Set

Max Vernon Struts New Direction

Photo Credit: Sophie Anita

Max Vernon is giving his music a facelift adding electronic synths that evoke mood without losing a pop edge. His cerebral minefield of twisted inferences, sarcastic commentary, and uncanny play on words remain intact. Two songs from his upcoming Silent Sirens EP can be heard Here.

Below is his latest video. It is DIY Gone Slick, created with the help of a talented crew of friends.

Upcoming Joe's Pub Debut April 5th Co-Headlining with Dan Fishback