My Morning Jacket at Lollapalooza in August (more by Grant MacAllister)

My Morning Jacket are currently on a tour that will conclude in NYC at Madison Square Garden on December 14 with Band of Horses. Tickets are still on sale and we're also giving away a pair. Details on how to enter to win are below.

My Morning Jacket will also be special guests at the 50th Anniversary of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band at Carnegie Hall on January 7 along with Mos Def, GIVERS, Tao Seeger, Allen Toussaint, Blind Boys of Alabama, Del McCoury Band, and Trombone Shorty. Tickets go on sale Friday (12/2) at 11 AM.

MMJ were just nominated for a Grammy for "Best Alternative Music Album" and performed too songs off that album on Jimmy Kimmel last night. Check out videos of their performance below.

All dates, contest details and videos below...

Continue reading "win tix see My Morning Jacket @ MSG, see them play Carnegie Hall w/ Preservation Hall Jazz Band, watch them on Kimmel..."

Justin Bond & Thomas Bartlett (more by Dominick Mastrangelo)

As you may have noticed in What's Going on Sunday, both Allen Toussaint and Justin Vivian Bond played shows at Joe's Pub on Sunday.

Allen's show, entitled "A Southern Night", is part of "the Joe's Pub New York Voices series" and happens again three times this week. All three are still on sale (11/21, 11/22 & 11/23). The singer, pianist, songwriter, arranger and producer "will feature songs from the album as well as songs that relate to the Toussaint Family." His full list of dates is below.

Performance artist, comedian and singer Justin Bond is also playing more shows, and all with Thomas Bartlett on piano. Tickets are still available for November 27 and December 04.

Thomas Bartlett, aka Doveman, also has his own show coming up, another Burgundy Stain Session. No guests are announced yet but tickets for the December 1st show are on sale. (UPDATE: Loudon Wainwright & Hannah Cohen have been added to the December 1st show)

P.S. Happy 10th anniversary Brassland Records (who are giving away a song a day all this month including ones by Doveman)

P.S.S. Frequent Doveman collaborator Martha Wainwright is also in the midst of a residency that continues Monday night (11/21) at City Winery. Tickets are still on sale.

Continue reading "Allen Toussaint, Justin Vivian Bond & Doveman shows"

Children under 12 are half price for the five upcoming Allen Toussaint shows happening at Joe's Pub. Note the noon start time.

Speaking of Joe's Pub, Melvin Van Peebles returns to the venue on January 27th with his group Laxative..."When asked why the title, Melvin replied, "Why? ...'cause they're a crew of musicians who make shit happen and get shit done. That's why!" The new show,"Yeah unhunH Sure ... The Rubber, ie. Your Behind, Meeting The Road, Do Jesus, Hand To Heaven Street Songs," will feature tunes taken from Melvin's Broadway shows, movies and recordings."

Boston's David Wax Museum, known for playing mostly house shows (maybe you heard them or watched them on NPR) are playing Joe's Pub on February 9th.

Tickets are still available for Lia Ices' February show at Joe's Pub.

Tickets are still available for the Anna Calvi show at Joe's Pub.

Tickets are still on sale for all of the Henry Rollins birthday (spoken word) shows.

DOWNLOAD: Charles Bradley - "The World (Is Going Up In Flames)" (MP3)

Charles Bradley album art (reminds me of something...)

Lotsa great funk and dancefloor grooves are coming to Southpaw and elsewhere for you old soul fans/45 collectors out there.

Though Charles Bradley just released the 45 of the same name, he is prepping to release No Time For Dreaming, a new LP for Dunham/Daptone Records. Is Charles Bradley a stranger to hard time?

Charles Bradley is no stranger to hard times. Born in Gainesville, Florida in 1948 and raised in Brooklyn, New York, he spent the better part of his childhood living on the streets. One of the more optimistic moments of his childhood came in 1964, when his sister took him to see James Brown at The Apollo. Brown's energy and showmanship would form a lasting impression on Charles. He went home and immediately began practicing microphone tricks with a broom attached to a string, imitating the Godfather's every move.

Forty years later, Charles was still trying to make ends meet, still trying to make it as a musician. He was performing his James Brown routines under his alter ego "Black Velvet" when Gabriel Roth of Daptone records happened upon his show at the Tarheel Lounge in Bedstuy. Roth recognized his raw talent and directly brought him into the studio for a session with The Sugarman 3.

Charles Bradley's last show was with Lee Fields at Music Hall of Williamsburg on 11/20, and Lee Fields & The Expressions have another show in the immediate future: 1/7 at Bowery Ballroom. Tickets are now on sale. Still no opener listed. I'd suggest Budos Band but they just headlined AND SOLD OUT the same venue recently themselves.

Speaking of Daptone, legendary New Orleans musician Allen Toussaint will join Daptone queen Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings at Best Buy Theater during their two day stint at the venue (tickets for both Dec 30 and Dec 31 are still available).

Toussaint collaborated with The Meters in the 70s, who will also be in NYC in the coming months (the "Funky" version anyway) (tickets available for Feb 15th, 16th, and 17th shows billed as "The Funky Meters").

A soulful New Years Eve can also be had outside of Manhattan at the Bell House thanks to Dig Deeper who are bringing Marva Whitney, Billy Prince (of the Precisions) and the Sweet Divines to the Brooklyn venue that night.Tickets are still on sale.

Start the New Year at the Bell House too. The Detroit Cobras headline the venue on January 1st, one night after they ring in the New Year at Maxwell's with the Fleshtones.

Dig Deeper hosts soul singer Lenis Guess at Southpaw on January 22nd with The Solid Set. Tickets are on sale.

Dig Deeper most recently hosted Syl Johnson at Southpaw. Syl also played a show with Yo La Tengo one night later.

Milwaukee's Kings Go Forth will play Southpaw on 2/19 as part of a stint of East Coast dates in late February. Tickets are on sale, and their full tour schedule with some videos and stuff is below.

Continue reading "soulful New Years Eve options, Kings Go Forth tour dates, Allen Toussaint, Detroit Cobras, new Charles Bradley & more"

photos by Ryan Muir

"Saturday evening could not have been more beautiful for a concert in Prospect Park. The second evening of music in the 2010 Celebrate Brooklyn season at the park's band shell, featured two of New Orleans' giants, Allen Toussaint and Davell Crawford.

Allen Toussaint started the evening off. With just his piano to accompany him, he entertained the crowd with many of the songs from his long career producing and arranging music for the Neville Brothers, the Rolling Stones and Elvis Castello.

Davell Crawford with his incredible band came on next. The Piano Prince Of New Orleans was electrifying. By the third song, the crowd was on its feet, dancing to his infectious mix of blues, jazz and gospel." [Pardon Me For Asking]

The first show in the series didn't have as much luck with the weather. The third show, happening on June 17th, is comedy by "Eugene Mirman & Pretty Good Friends" ("John Hodgman, Michael Showalter, Kumail Nanjiani, Janeane Garofalo and Jerry Minor. More guest stars tba"). More pictures from the second 2010 show (Allen and Davell), below...

Continue reading "Allen Toussaint & Davell Crawford played Prospect Park (pics) "

Celebrate Brooklyn '09 (more by Chris La Putt)

The Celebrate Brooklyn series' 2010 schedule is out. Check out the free (or $3 suggested donation) shows that will be happening at Prospect Park this summer below.

There's the previously mentioned shows with Norah Jones, Konono No. 1, Sonic Youth (who have Talk Normal and Grass Widow opening for them), Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings with Budos Band, Swell Season and the Low Anthem, Metric, The Roots and Allen Toussaint, all for free. The ticketed benefit shows are Rufus Wainwright on July 20th, Dead Weather on August 3rd, and already-sold-out shows with Passion Pit and The National.

The full schedule is below...

Continue reading "Celebrate Brooklyn's 2010 Prospect Park concert lineup"

Elvis Costello @ Bonnaroo 2009 (more by Graeme Flegenheimer)

SPECTACLE: ELVIS COSTELLO WITH... fuses the best elements of talk and music television and invites viewers to enjoy an intimate conversation between host Costello and his guests, punctuated by rare musical performances by Costello, his guests and a wide variety of musicians.

Sundance Channel in the US, along with CTV in Canada have picked up the show for a second season, with taping scheduled at New York City's famed Apollo Theatre at the end of September.

Continue reading "Elvis Costello taping 2nd season Spectacle shows @ the Apollo - get tix (Neko Case, Levon Helm, Ray Lamontagne...)"

Rokia Traoré @ LPR in February (more by Lori Baily)

Allen Toussaint @ New Orleans Jazz Fest 2009 (more by Graeme Flegenheimer)


The 15th-annual BAM Rhythm & Blues Festival will take place every Thursday at noon from June 4th to August 6th at Brooklyn's MetroTech Commoms. The previously-announced festival kicks off today (June 4th) with funk band Lakeside (of "Fantastic Voyage" fame).

One festival highlight -- previously listed as "A New Orleans R&B legend, to be announced," -- will be Allen Toussaint on Thursday, June 11th. Toussaint recently played six nights at the Village Vanguard.

Rokia Traoré, pictured above, closes the fest on August 6th.

Full schedule and directions to the venue, which is on corner of Flatbush and Myrtle Avenues, below...

Continue reading "BAM R&B Festival at MetroTech kicks off (shows Thursday at noon) - now w/ Allen Toussaint on the schedule "

by Andrew Frisicano

Allen Toussaint @ Village Vanguard 5/20/09 (livingwithmusic)

The New Orleans pianist Allen Toussaint hinted at the scope of his musical lore in a whimsical solo montage halfway through his early set at the Village Vanguard on Tuesday [5/19] night. Fragments of old New Orleans songs (like "Big Chief"), classical pieces, boogie-woogie, "The Sound of Music" and other tunes interrupted one another and gradually mingled, giving barrelhouse flourishes to a Chopin prelude. After a few more segues Mr. Toussaint called Elvis Costello out of the audience to sing "Ascension Day," a song from the 2006 album they made together, "The River in Reverse." [NY Times]

The pianist is playing with the Bright Mississippi Band, a group that recently cut an album of the same name for Nonesuch. That band (on record and live) includes clarinetist Don Byron, trumpeter Nicholas Payton, bassist David Piltch, percussionist Jay Bellerose and guitarist Marc Ribot. Ribot just ended his weeklong 55th-birthday retrospective on Sunday, May 16th.

Elvis Costello also recently made an appearance on 30 Rock, and has a show coming up at NYC's Beacon Theater.

Watch a video of Costello and Toussaint on Letterman, with all Allen Toussaint tour dates (including Bonnaroo), below...

Continue reading "Allen Toussaint @ Village Vanguard, other places - tour dates"

photos by Graeme Flegenheimer

"From the moment you set foot inside the main gate at the Fair Grounds Race Course, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival is like a music and food lover's "Choose Your Own Adventure" novel, with nearly every option inciting pure sonic and culinary bliss. A morning beignet in the Gospel Tent with Arthur Clayton & Purposely Anointed? A lazy afternoon perked up by some Crawfish Monica and the Drive-By Truckers joined by Booker T? How about a stroll to the Gentilly Stage for the sounds of Spoon and the Dirty Dozen horns, stopping for a quick bowl of gumbo along the way? Etta James and a Soft Shell Crab Po-Boy, anyone? All signs point to yes...

...Now in its 40th year, the 2009 edition of Jazz Fest continues to ramp up post-Hurricane Katrina, expanding to its full complement of 12 stages, up from nine last year, and seven days, up from six in recent years. The event's first of two weekends boasted music from nearly 200 acts, including the likes of Dave Matthews Band, Crescent City native Wynton Marsalis and his Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Joe Cocker, Erykah Badu, James Taylor, Earth Wind and Fire, Pete Seeger, Hugh Masekela, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, Etta James and many more." [All About Jazz]

Continue reading "a set of pictures from New Orleans Jazz Fest 2009 "

by Andrew Frisicano

Marc Ribot @ Maxwell's (more by Tim Griffin)

Marc Ribot is an American guitarist and composer. His own work has touched on many styles, including no wave, free jazz, and Cuban music. Ribot is also known for collaborating with other musicians, most notably Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, and composer John Zorn. Ribot's earliest session work featured on Tom Waits' Rain Dogs (1985) and helped define Waits' new musical direction. Ribot worked with Waits on many of his following albums including Franks Wild Years (1987), Mule Variations (1999) and Real Gone (2004).

He currently performs and records with his group Marc Ribot's Ceramic Dog with bassist Shahzad Ismaily and drummer Ches Smith of the avant-garde band Secret Chiefs 3. [Wikipedia]

In May, Ribot will celebrate his 55th birthday with a week of NYC shows from Saturday, May 9th to Saturday, May 16th. Those gigs will showcase Ribot in a variety of bands and settings...

Continue reading "Marc Ribot's birthday week & other upcoming shows "

Crystal Castles @ MHOW - New Years Eve (more by Ryan Muir)

Al Green @ the Wellmont Theater - Nov 2008 (more by Eric M Townsend)

Superfly Productions and A.C. Entertainment are excited to announce the initial lineup for the 2009 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival. The eighth annual four-day camping and music festival will be held on June 11 - 14 on the same beautiful 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee, 60 miles south of Nashville. Every year Bonnaroo seeks to make history by offering unique and exclusive performances by rock's greatest legends as well as its most significant newcomers. A full list of confirmed acts follows, and more will be announced in the coming weeks. The final Bonnaroo 2009 lineup will total over 120 bands and over 20 comedians performing on 13 stages over four days. Tickets go on sale exclusively through www.bonnaroo.com on Saturday, February 7 at 12:00 PM Eastern.

Coachella announced their initial lineup less than a week earlier.

Metallica played Bonnaroo in 2008. Metallica played NY & NJ this past weekend.

Full (initial) 2009 Bonnaroo lineup below...

Continue reading "Bonnaroo announces initial 2009 lineup (Bruce Springsteen, Phish, Beastie Boys, NIN, Wilco, Animal Collective...)"