One of Rhode Island’s finest all-around jazz entertainer is Debra Mann. Her young talents brought her to Boston’s Berklee College, where she studied jazz and classical music. Soon, she became a premier jazz pianist and singer, gracing top performing halls, restaurants and hotels. She operated as a solo artist for a period and then formed a trio and later a quintet. […]
Providence is nothing if not artsy — they don’t call us the Creative Capital for nothin’! With creative juices flowing freely and abundantly from all corners of the city and surrounding towns, it isn’t surprising that so many organizations focused on helping young artists explore their passions have popped up over the last couple of […]
Jazz guitarist and recent Rhode Island Music Hall Of Fame inductee Frank Potenza returns to the area to play Chan’s on September 22. To prepare for the gig, I asked him a few questions about his music and local ties. Ben Shaw: What got you into jazz? Frank Potenza: My father, Frank, had a […]
Algiers The sophomore album by Algiers, The Underside of Power, is a stirring statement of our times. Algiers remind me a lot of TV on The Radio, but better. The title track is an upbeat march to redemption. Algiers, at times, fuses gospel and hip-hop with the urgency of Gang of Four, which isn’t easy […]
Okee dokee folks… The other night I went to check out a show featuring two classic rock bands at Twin River’s Event Center. The bands were Starship, featuring Mickey Thomas, and The Guess Who. I have never had the chance to see these bands live before, but have seen a few of the original members […]
Every artist has a “thang,” and for Providence-based pop singer Scout Lyons, it’s celebrating individuality. She officially released her new single, “Do My Thang,” on August 24, complete with a release party show at Fete Music Hall. Lyons and her stuffed companion Mr. Bear star in the music video for the song, which depicts — […]
Thank God (who IS a woman, BTW): This summer’s heat waves are behind us, and in their stead we’ve got a smorgasbord of smoking-hot electronic dance music events (and the return of pumpkin spice) to look forward to. On Saturday, September 22, celebrate the autumnal equinox at Platforms Dance Club in Providence when Tight Crew […]
The Mighty Good Boys – The God-King Gerald Ford Local folk rock outfit The Mighty Good Boys are out with their second album, The God-King Gerald Ford, and it’s a real banger, as the kids would say. The album represents a superb sophomore effort for the group, whose mature songwriting and ambitious musical arrangements set them apart […]
If leaves could choose a type of music to accompany their fall to the ground, they’d choose jazz. And every fall, RI accommodates their last wish with a swinging soundtrack. Newport has a good slate of music coming up. Norey’s continues its weekly Thursday night jazz series featuring a rotating cast of ensembles including the Alan Bernstein […]
Okee dokee folks… I would like to thank all the folks who made the fifth annual Providence Folk Festival such an amazing day — the volunteers, the performers, the sponsors (Motif being one of those!) and of course, the audience. Now let’s talk volunteers. The coffeehouse season is about to begin, and many venues operate […]