Born and raised into the culture of New Orleans, Louisiana, The Soul Rebels have been a brass ensemble since 1991. Fast forward to 2017, the band has toured Africa, China, Japan, Australia, Europe, and beyond. They have regularly collaborated live with Talib Kweli, Nas, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Marilyn Manson, Metallica, and many others. In His Own Words: […]
Interviews
Interview: Head North Discusses Band’s New Sound and the Making of Their Breakaway Album
Head North’s debut full-length album The Last Living Man Alive Ever In The History Of The World represents a new direction for the band. The Buffalo-based quartet has shed their teenage pop punk angst and emerged from last year’s break with an impressive coming-of-age indie rock venture. On The Last Living Man Alive Ever In […]
Tart Vandelay on The Art of Creating Transcendence Through Music
Tart Vandelay is as fun and feisty as their name. With bopping beats and catchy choruses, they’ve been winning the hearts of music lovers in Western NY and beyond with their live shows over the past year. Next month, they’ll be playing two sets during Rochester Fringe Festival. Charismatic couple Katie Halligan and Martin LoFaso […]
A Conversation With Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad’s Own James Searl
I had the humbling opportunity to sit down with James Searl of Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad for my podcast, The Rochester Groovecast. The casual conversation was recorded live at the Finger Lakes Grassroots Festival of Music and Dance. In the episode, we also hear two Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad tracks, “Make It Better” […]
Interview: Escaper Unleashes Space Funk on Planet Earth
Since last year, Brooklyn-based Escaper has been offering listeners a medium through which to contemplate the most practical methods for farming space worms. Or finally realizing that astronauts can create aliens by giving birth in space, or that there are so many cats on the internet because dog people go outside. Either way, Will Hanza […]
Interview: A Casual Conversation With Funktional Flow
Sitting down to drink a beer with a band is an experience for which every journalist yearns. I had the pleasant opportunity to sit down with Guitar/Vocalist Jeffery Kueber and Keyboard/Saxophone/Vocalist Mathew Lester of Buffalo’s Funktional Flow. The meet-up took place at Three Heads Brewery in Rochester, NY. Over a heady Three Heads Brewery beer, […]
Interview: TreadWater on Innovating Hardcore and Fostering the Underground Music Community
Photos by Corinne Cummings TreadWater is an integral part of Rochester’s thriving underground music scene. As well as their own musical contribution, a member of the band is actively involved in fostering the growth of the DIY community by arranging shows for local and traveling up-and-coming indie artists. NYS Music met up with TreadWater members […]
Interview: The Dirty Pennies on Developing Their Own Style of Blues
The Dirty Pennies play a mean twelve bar blues. However, they don’t box themselves into the genre. They use the blues as a springboard to launch into other musical directions. Their debut album Kick Out The Rocks demonstrates this versatility – from the boogie-woogie title track to the alt rock “Explosions” and the folk ballad […]
Dopapod’s Chuck Jones, Rob Compa Dish Upcoming Album News, Fan Antics at Disc Jam
A weekend spent in Stephentown, NY for Disc Jam 7 meant a finely curated lineup over four days at Gardner’s Farm. Having headlined every single year since the festival’s conception in 2011, this year was no different as progressive jam outfit Dopapod prepped for their Friday night set ahead. With a recent spring tour in […]
Interview: Olivia Grace Discusses her Upcoming Releases and Next Steps in Brooklyn
Indie pop artist Olivia Grace is originally from Maryland but ready to take the New York music scene by storm. She’s focusing her energy and creative juices into launching a musical career while completing her senior year of college. Her latest single “Blackbird” was released on September 30 enticing listeners with her unique style. NYS […]