Over the past several years Tune In & Tune Up was in a state of limbo as the direct result of COVID. Co-chairs Don Culp and Dr. Al Puerini had given over $20,000 of assistance to musicians but were at a crossroads because they were no longer able to reach out as they once had, […]
Photo: RIOT RI. After a name change and years of halted programming due to COVID, RIOT RI is still here – but they aren’t trying to rush back to the way things were. RIOT, which stands for Revolution In Our Time, was formerly known as Girls Rock! RI before their name change in 2020. The […]
Photo: Pickpik. Though we’ve seen little relief from the heat and rain, history tells us that eventually fall will arrive, the temperature will drop, and the leaves will change color and fall to the ground. Fortunately for music lovers, autumn is a great time for classical music in New England. Giving way to fanfare, season […]
The National Suicide Prevention Hotline rebranded in 2022 and became the Suicide and Crisis Hotline. 988 made the number simple to remember, and the demand for its services has only increased in the past year. Their text line takes away the anxiety that can come with making phone calls. 988 is available for any reason […]
Okee dokee folks… I was saddened to learn about the passing of someone that I greatly admired, Bob Jones. If you are not in the folk world you may not know the name, but Bob was a big part of that community for decades. He basically ran the Newport Folk Festival since its revival in […]
Welcome back! Here are five local cuts to get you through the dog days of summer. Nes Tarot’s Psycho Tropics – “Slacky Adventures of Psychlone Funk” As the title suggests, this is a funky jam. Opening with off-kilter instrumentation and birdsong, the track snaps into place as it dances into the first verse. The vocals […]
Okee dokee folks… NINETEEN YEARS! Wow! I have now been writing columns in Motif for a little more than 19 years! I started writing for Motif an issue or two after it was born. At first I thought it was crazy that I was asked to write for the magazine, as the closest thing I […]
It is a fact that people use substances, both legal and illegal, for all sorts of reasons. Some are more socially acceptable while others are relegated to back rooms and locked bathroom stalls. All can have a positive or negative impact on a person and, if not used safely, can cause illness or death. Overdose […]
Okee dokee folks… This thought popped into my head today. When my duo, Fuzek-Rossoni, began playing open mics over 35 years ago, one of the first places we played was the Stone Soup “Hoot.” The late Richard Walton ran things back then and one of the things he always said that wound up burned in […]
The time is upon us for yet another edition of the historic Newport Jazz Festival. This year for a change of pace from past guides, I’m going to focus on artists or collaborations that may not garner the same recognition as some of the bigger names on the poster. Here are three picks for each […]