by Andrew Frisicano

Nellie McKay playing piano (more by Chris La Putt)


Highline Piano Series, eight nights of piano-centric pop and jazz at Highline Ballroom, kicks off Wednesday night (8/18, tonight) with a performances by Vienna Teng & Alex Wong and songwriter Joey Ryan. Tickets are still on sale. One highlight of this year's series will be Nellie McKay on August 29th (tickets are on sale). Nellie's only other upcoming NYC performance comes October 15th as part of Broadway Melody Makers (multiple performers doing Broadway tunes) at Town Hall. Tickets are on sale.

Last year, Highline Piano series hosted jazz legends like McCoy Tyner and Cecil Taylor. This year, Tyner will play his second free outdoor show of the summer (the first was June 23rd at Central Park SummerStage) on Saturday, August 28th at Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem. That's the first day of the Charlie Parker Jazz Fest, which features Jason Moran and the Bandwagon, JD Allen Trio, and Revive Da Live, who'll be performing a special Charlie Parker tribute set. The next day (8/29), Jimmy Scott, Vijay Iyer, The Cookers and Catherine Russell continue the fest at Tompkins Square Park. Both shows are free and start at 3pm.

The full Highline Piano Series schedule and Nellie McKay's tour dates are posted below...

Continue reading "the Highline Piano Series, Nellie McKay dates, Jimmy Scott"

Wes, Jay Mankind, Matt Singer, Casey Shea, Derek James & others

Big announcement! Wes and I [Jay] have decided to make some big changes to Cross-Pollination. Amid a swirl of emotions, the last shows at Pianos are upon us. We'll be downstairs for the next six weeks wrapping up what some (we) would call a legendary era. We've invited back many old friends and faves. Here's how it looks so far:

AUG 3 :: Matt Singer & Sunroom
AUG 10 :: Cabin & Rana Santacruz
AUG 17 :: Misty Boyce & Luke Wesley
AUG 24 :: TBA & The Canon Logic
AUG 31 :: Chris Cubeta & Casey Shea
SEP 07 :: CROSS-POLLINATION 300!!

Just six more Cross Pollination shows at Pianos in NYC. For those not familiar, CP brings two singer-songwriter types together for individual sets followed by live collaboration (aka "cross pollination"), and they've done it 293 times so far and it's always 100% free. So what next? Well, they said Cross Pollination will continue, but where and when? "That's coming into focus. We'll let you know as blurry colors become sharp lines." Congrats in advance for 300 shows guys.

Cloud Cult and M Shanghai String Band @ Cross-Pollination 4/18/06 (more photos)

Free, weekly NYC music series Cross-Pollination is celebrating its 5th anniversary at Pianos tonight, May 12th. The night's bill pairs Brooklyn bands Dinosaur Feathers and The Bloodsugars.

Cross-Pollination was created by Jay Goettelmann and Wesley Verhoeve, the founders of creative collective Liberated Matter, with the hope of bringing artists together in a unique way. They came up with the concept of pairing two artists together, with each playing a 45-minute set, followed by a collaborative set in which both performers share the stage. These special sets are 'one time art' and have included everything from bands joining in on each others songs, collaborating on covers, and co-writing new songs for the event.

Back in 2005, Jay and Wes spoke with BrooklynVegan about their series...

What is your most memorable Cross-Pollination experience?

Wes: Hmm, I'd say the Kimya Dawnson/Paleface collaboration with a whole set of newly written songs was very special. Seeing Jaymay hold a note for about a full minute once during her performance was quite spectacular as well.

Jay: For me it was probably one of our big alumni shows where Casey Shea and Jeff Jacobson (of the Undisputed Heavyweights) did a rendition of the entire second half of Abbey Road. Or when Jason Trachtenburg ended his show in punk style, knocking the mic over and trying to bash these wooden flame decorations with his guitar.

We just asked Wes the same question (now almost four years later).
His answer this time:

Wes: There's a lot of memorable moments, but to highlight a few: Frightened Rabbit and The Brother Kite's performance was phenomenally packed and amazing. Casey Shea and Wakey!Wakey! covering Dick In A Box mere days after it was on TV was a big hit with the crowd. Cloud Cult playing with great intensity to a fire-hazard stuffed upstairs. Dave Deporis and My Brightest Diamond were so delicate and beautiful, then still at the Apocalypse Lounge. Jason Trachtenburg also played there early on and destroyed the stage and the wall behind the stage at the end of his set in front of a baffled audience. It was amazing, sort of a nebbish version of Terminator.

Cross-Pollination is currently streaming a 5th anniversary mixtape with new and exclusive tracks by Dawn Landes, Takka Takka, Twi the Humble Feather, Jaymay and others. You can stream it or download it below. They posted a similar mix in 2007 for their 3rd anniversary.

Both bands playing tonight are series regulars (The Bloodsugars even played the Cross-Pollination's 4th anniversary bash last year, video below.) They're both at other local-music celebrations this summer too. Dinosaur Feathers will be playing Saturday, May 16th at Park Slope's Bar 4 as part of the weeklong Local Correspondents Festival hosted by the venue. The Bloodsugars will play a Northside Festival show at Public Assembly on June 14th.

Cross-Pollination 5th anniversary mixtape (streaming and downloadable), with track listing, and all upcoming shows, below...

Continue reading "the weekly Cross-Pollination series turns five (party tonight, more upcoming shows & a free mixtape- stream & download) "

Local Correspondents, an independent music community, is hosting the 3rd Annual LC Fest May 13 - 19, 2009 at Bar4 in Park Slope, Brooklyn. The festival will include short sets from over 60 singer/songwriters and bands located in Brooklyn and New York City. This year the festival also coincides with the 4th anniversary of Local Correspondents. All performances are free to attend.

Local Correspondents is a supportive community for independent artists based in Brooklyn. Weekly showcase series and open mic nights have brought together an extremely talented and diverse group of performers over the last four years. LC offers a helping hand to artists that have just moved to the NYC area with advice, tips, and opportunities to play.

Bar 4 is definitely one of the most under-the-radar venues NYC has to offer. More on the LC Fest with full lineup/schedule, below...

Continue reading "2009 Local Correspondents Festival @ Bar 4 in Brooklyn"

Rumor has it that LES spot Rockwood Music Hall (196 Allen Street, NY, NY) will be expanding its current, limited-capacity venue. Have you heard that?

The intimate venue, is known for being a great place to see a live show and for hosting surprise/secret performances by well-known artists like Ryan Adams and Norah Jones (under the guise of side-bands like The Sloppy Joannes and Puss n Boots). In fact, Puss n Boots ("P n B") is scheduled to perform at Rockwood on Saturday, May 9th. They played Mercury Lounge earlier this year.

The next night, Sunday, May 10th, the venue's Second Sundays series will host its "closing concert" from 6-8pm with special guests. The series organizer Danielle writes that the event is transitioning "from a monthly event to special event format. For now, let's just say...it's less, 'all good things come to an end' and more, 'good things come to those who wait.'" Performers for the event include Jonathan Spottiswoode, Elizabeth Ziman, Paul Brill, Jamie Leonhart, Casey Shea, Sasha Dobson (who is 1/3 of Puss n Boots) and Becky and Nathan Bliss of Barnaby Bright.

At Rockwood later the same night will be singer/accordianist/keyboardist Corn Mo (who opened for Dead Milkmen at the Warsaw in April), and a mysterious "Bushranger." (any clue?)

Casey Shea, in addition to playing Sunday the 10th, is also playing Rockwood tonight (5/6). He goes on long after Jeremiah Lockwood of The Sway Machinery, and right before a mysterious "Archibald Hext" (Ari Hest?). Check Rockwood's site for their latest full schedule.

Last night (May 5th), Corn Mo played the Bushwick Book Club (not at Rockwood), a first Tuesdays event in Brooklyn where songwriters compose and perform original tunes inspired a selected book. This month's subject was Milan Kundera's The Unbearable Lightness of Being. Other performers included event organizer Susan Hwang, Natti Vogel, Josh Deeter, Lady Blanche, Anna Leuchtenberger, Duck and Swallow, Joe Crow Ryan, Sara Lautman, Andrea Larose, Dan Costello, and Rachel Devlin. Franz Nicolay of the Hold Steady performed at the series' March edition, which focused on the novella Flatland. He's on the schedule again for June 2nd, when the collective inspiration will come from Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons.

Flyers, videos & Corn Mo clips, below...

Continue reading "Rockwood Music Hall expanding? - upcoming shows include Corn Mo, Puss n Boots, 'Archibald Hext' & 'Bushranger'"