Gary Clark Jr. On Baeble

Baeble Music has put up a clip of Gary Clark Jr. performing for a hometown crowd at The Mohawk. I'm looking forward to seeing him at the Newport Folk Festival this year where he's scheduled to play on Sunday, July 29. In the meantime I'll just enjoy this clip.

Watch the full video at Baeblemusic.com

NJPAC & WBGO announce The James Moody Democracy of Jazz Festival

The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) and WBGO Jazz 88.3FM the inaugural James Moody Democracy of Jazz Festival. It's a celebration of jazz and the legacy of jazz musician James Moody. The festival will take place October 15 - 21, 2012 at NJPAC and other community-based venues. Bassist/composer Christian McBride serves as the Artistic Adviser of the festival.

Tickets for the Festival, available now, may be purchased by telephone at 1-888-GO-NJPAC (1-888-466-5722), at the NJPAC Box Office at One Center Street in downtown Newark (open Tuesday-Saturday, noon to 6pm, and Sunday, noon to 5pm), or online at www.njpac.org.

The James Moody Democracy of Jazz Festival:

Mainstage Concerts

Two all-star concerts in NJPAC's Prudential Hall will be the headline events for The James Moody Democracy of Jazz Festival - the first, on Friday, October 19, 2012 at 8pm is titled For Love of Moody: A Jazz Celebration. Moody's legacy will be celebrated with a night featuring his favorite musicians and friends including George Benson, The Manhattan Transfer and David Sanborn, plus special guests Kenny Barron, Jon Faddis, Jimmy Heath, John Lee, Paquito D'Rivera, Christian McBride, Paul Lieberman, and Todd Coolman, Adam Nussbaum and Renee Rosnes (long time members of Moody's group).

On Saturday, October 20, 2012 at 8pm, the Festival will feature Miles Davis and Gil Evans: Still Ahead, an all-star recreation of the landmark original Gil Evans arrangements of the classic Miles Davis recordings of Porgy and Bess, Sketches of Spain, and Miles Ahead. The Prudential Hall concert will feature a unique cast of jazz greats including Terence Blanchard on trumpet, bassist Christian McBride, drummer Peter Erskine, tuba master Howard Johnson (a member of the original recording sessions with Davis and Evans), trumpeter Sean Jones and a jazz orchestra under the direction of Vince Mendoza.

The Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition

From Sarah to Whitney, Newark has been the birthplace and proving ground for great jazz vocalists. As homage to a master, NJPAC will introduce its inaugural Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition. An international talent search will culminate in a special concert on Sunday, October 21, 2012 at 3pm in NJPAC's Victoria Theater by the finalists, with rare concert footage of Sarah Vaughan. Presented as part of NJPAC's Jazz Roots Series with consulting producer Larry Rosen. Details on contest entrance rules and regulations will be announced in May.

Magic Tree House: A Night in New Orleans

The Moody Festival will also feature the world premiere of a new jazz musical, Magic Tree House: A Night in New Orleans, based on A Good Night for Ghosts, book #42 in the phenomenally popular Magic Tree House series by Mary Pope Osborne.

Magic Tree House: A Night in New Orleans will play a series of free performances in the Newark Public Schools for all 4,300 of the City's fourth grade students. Two additional performances for the public will be featured in NJPAC's Victoria Theater on Saturday, October 20, 2012 at 1pm and 4pm.

Jazz House Kids Gala

On Wednesday, October 17, 2012 the Arts Center will host Hitting the High Notes, the 10th anniversary gala event benefiting Jazz House Kids, an acclaimed community-based arts organization with a mission to provide year-round musical, educational, and cultural programs to students in grades K-12, teachers, adults, and families from diverse backgrounds.

Information on the comprehensive Festival lineup will be announced as part of NJPAC's 2012-13 season lineup in May.

Upcoming: Lexie Roth at Rockwood Music Hall, 4/14

Singer/songwriter/guitarist Lexie Roth will be taking the stage at Rockwood Music Hall on April 14 at 10PM and it'll cost you nada, yep, that's right FREE. The gig happens to be the album release show for her self-title record which will available the same day. Check out the handy widget below and listen to "I Wanna Run." Roth also has a Kickstarter project; if you like what you hear and want to show your support, visit the project page HERE.

I Wanna Run by Lexie Roth

Flashback: Kasabian - "Vlad The Impaler" at Terminal 5

In case you missed it, Kasabian took over Terminal 5 last Thursday. The Bowery Presents streamed it live on their YouTube channel and have posted parts of it. Because I like Kasabian, because I find "Vlad The Impaler" insanely irresistible and because The Bowery Presents Live provided this nifty clip, I make this my video of the day.

Cowboy Junkies New Album, The Wilderness, Out Now + MP3

The Cowboy Junkies have a new album out, The Wilderness. It's Volume 4 of The Nomad Series. The full album can be streamed on AOL Music, HERE. We also have for you at the bottom of the post in our MP3 Grab, "Damaged From The Start" from the album and if that wasn't enough for you to feast on, grab "Angels In The Wilderness" using the handy widget.

The group’s Michael Timmin says of the new CD, “The title, The Wilderness, in some odd way seemed to define what these songs were actually “about”: fragility, emptiness, loneliness, beauty, chance, loss, desperation - the delicate balancing act that makes up a life. They are about being lost in the wilderness of age, the wilderness of parenthood, in the wilderness of just trying to find meaning and substance, happiness and truth in ones day to day life. They are about standing alone in middle of it all, breathing in the cold still air and wondering.”

The preceding album, Sing In My Meadow, a collection of songs recorded over a four day period that evokes the psychedelic, blues-inspired forays the band is fond of exploring on stage was hailed by Metromix as “showing yet another side of one of the most versatile, underrated bands of the last 25 years.”

The first volume of the series, Renmin Park, released in 2010, was inspired by Michael Timmins’ two-month stay in China with his family in ‘08 and was called “their most ambitious yet” by The Boston Herald. Demons (2011), the second in the series, is a collection of songs by the late Vic Chesnutt which Canada’s National Post called “…a celebration of both the Junkies and Chesnutt and one of the year's best albums.”

MP3 Grab: "Damaged From The Start"

Around New York ... March 25 - April 1

Upcoming shows in the New York area ...

March 25 -- The Vandelles / Electric Eel Shock / Hard Nips /Hot Cha Cha at Cake Shop
March 25 -- L'Arc-En-Ciel at Madison Square Garden
March 25 -- Paper Robots at Mercury Lounge
March 26 -- James Moody Scholarship Benefit Concert at Blue Note
March 26 -- Teeth and Tongue / Paula Carino / Jett Brando at Pianos
March 27 -- Toots and the Maytals / Fear Nuttin' Band at Brooklyn Bowl
March 27 -- Pink Room David Lynch Burlesque at Parkside Lounge
March 27 - 28 -- Joan Osborne at City Winery
March 28 -- Simone Felice at Mercury Lounge
March 28 -- Hank & Cupcakes (pictured) at Santos Party House
March 28 -- Shaken & Stirred Burlesque at The Delancey
March 28 -- The Joy Formidable / A Place To Bury Strangers / Violens at Terminal 5
March 28 -- First Aid Kit at Webster Hall
March 28 -- A Million Years (pictured) / Napoleon / Chasing Bear at The Studio at Webster Hall
March 29 -- The Pierces / Spirit Family Reunion at Bowery Ballroom
March 29 -- What Cheer? Brigade / Apocalypse Five / Dime at Public Assembly
March 29 -- The Highway / Reckless Sons at Spike Hill
March 29 -- Corruption at Tammany Hall
March 29 -- Delta Spirit / Waters at Webster Hall
March 30 -- Burlesque Affaire at Affaire
March 30 -- The Shivers / Sons of an Illustrious Father / Uncles at Littlefield
March 30 - 31 -- Of Montreal at Webster Hall
March 31 -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. / Ms. Mr. at Brooklyn Bowl
March 31 -- Wolf + Lamp / Soul Clap at Music Hall of Williamsburg
March 31 -- Wild Deer / Emery Jane at The Rockshop
April 1 -- Johnny Flynn / Peggy Sue at Glasslands Gallery
April 1 - 5 -- Citizen Cope at City Winery

Is New York Still The Cultural Capital Of America?

A question has been posed. New York has long been considered the cultural capital of America. Is it still? If not, where? This question has led to pondering on my part.

My first thought was, it's a place that is often taken for granted by those who live there. Visitors come from far and wide to experience the cities cultural delights. But, ask a New Yorker about certain things...certain places and you're likely to get a rant on too many tourists frequenting the location or, I can see that anytime. You become jaded by having so much at your fingertips. I've been known to be guilty of this myself. But, as much as I'm cranky, or complaining or just simply taking the city and it's offerings for granted, I spend just as much time, camera in hand in some dark venue capturing and enjoying all that she has to offer.

We have an unbelievable amount of cultural happenings at our disposal. There's something for everybody on any given night, in every price range, pretty much around the clock. This is something that is often not thought about until you're away from New York for a hot minute. You realize that you can't just hop on the subway and go from the theatre or the ballet to a late show at a club followed by an even later DJ set. You might not normally do any of those things but the minute you're away, you suddenly find yourself wanting to do, see and experience EVERYTHING! You notice when you only have a half a dozen or less options on a given night whereas in New York, it's a matter of what you want to do or see most on any given night. At some point, the inevitable happens; the words, if I was at home... comes out of your mouth.

But, it's not just the sheer volume of happenings in New York that makes it a special place; it's the quality. Now, don't get your knickers in a bunch. I'm not saying no other place has quality culture. I just think the amount of quality that's so easily available made New York the 'cultural capital of America,' a title I think it still holds.

2012 Great Arts Blogger Challenge

WBGO Kicks Off Kids Jazz Concert Series March 31

New Jersey public radio station WBGO announced that it's award-winning free Kids Jazz Concert Series is returning this Spring! The four free interactive programs geared towards young people feature harpist Brandee Younger, saxophonist Donald Harrison, drummer Will Calhoun and saxophonist Claire Daly. If you have children, it's the perfect opportunity for them to listen to, learn and in some cases discover jazz.

The series will be held at New Jersey venues on four Saturdays at 12:30PM. Check out the schedule below.

These interactive, hour-long programs give young people opportunities to learn about the distinct qualities of jazz, and why it is a reflection of our community, nation, and world. Top jazz and blues artists produce programs tailor-made for young people, leaving time for further exploration of the music through Q&A sessions with the artists. In addition to the music, the event includes door prizes, a gift for each child and a fun-filled afternoon with other young jazz lovers.

“The Kids Jazz Series is one of several WBGO youth initiatives that build upon the legacy of jazz and help set the stage for the next generation of jazz audiences and artists,” said Cephas Bowles, WBGO President and CEO. “We’re extremely pleased and proud to have been cited by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting with its MySource Community Impact Award for Engagement in 2009 for this series as well as for our live broadcasts of student jazz ensembles, which also take place in April.”

March 31, 12:30pm
Brandee Younger
Jazz: The Art of Creation
Montclair Art Museum
3 South Mountain Avenue
Montclair, NJ 07042

April 14, 12:30pm
Donald Harrison
Big Easy to Big Apple
Cicely Tyson School Performing Arts Center
35 Winans Street
East Orange, NJ 07017

Co-Sponsored by The High School Music Department of The Cicely L. Tyson Community School of Performing and Fine Arts

April 21, 12:30pm
Will Calhoun
Jazz in the Digital Age
New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC)
Victoria Theater
One Center Street
Newark, NJ 07102

April 28, 12:30 pm
Claire Daly
How Important Is the Melody?
Newark Museum
49 Washington Street
Newark, NJ 07102

All concerts are handicapped accessible. Adults must be accompanied by a child.

Song of the Day: Cowgill - "Plans"

We have for you in today's Song of the Day, "Plans," by Boston's Cowgill. I'm really digging this one and as a result, it has already repeated a few times on my media player of choice. The song is from their Side One of Planted album which is scheduled for release on May 17. Cowgill formed in June of 2011 and based on this song, we'll be hearing a lot from them. Scroll down to the bottom of the post and grab it from our MP3 Grab.

“Plans” showcases the band’s impressive range, opening with a gorgeous piano line closely followed by a rocking string section groove, slowly building to seriously thumping drums in the outro. Lead singer Paul Cowgill’s vocals are sublime, blending indie and folk influences with a touch of pop sensibility.

COWGILL is Paul Cowgill (Vocals, Acoustic Guitar), Mike Truskowski (Piano, Backup Vocals, Trombone), Dan Weissman (Mandolin, Backup Vocals, Trumpet), Leeann Hackett (Violin), Ryan Rivers (Bass Guitar) and a temporarily rotating cast on drums.)

MP3 Grab: "Plans"

Madi Diaz on BreakThru Radio

The folks over at BreakThru Radio had Madi Diaz, who released her Plastic Moon album earlier this year, in their studios recently. You can check out a clip of her performing "Love You Now" and an interview segment in the BTR studio. The complete radio broadcast and playlist can be heard and downloaded HERE.

Reminder: New York, Diaz will be in town for a couple of shows. She'll be supporting Rachael Yamagata at Highline Ballroom on April 2 (doors at 6PM / $25) and April 4, over in Brooklyn at the Music Hall of Williamsburg (doors at 8PM / $25 / 18+).