Summer is here, the sun is hot and our Vitamin D is at near-lethal levels, causing an incessant urge to attend festivals, dance like crazy and let go of inhibitions while surrounded by thousands of strangers. Screw the correlation studies; there’s just something about the summertime that makes this vivacious conviviality quite alright. Lucky for […]
I first saw the Rolling Stones in fall 1989 on their Steel Wheels tour. At the time, being an adolescent punk rocker, I didn’t give a shit about “corporate rock” like the Stones. My dad, who loves the Stones, had tickets for the show at the old Foxboro Stadium. Someone had cancelled last minute so […]
Okee dokee folks… “Soft Rock” came about late in the ’60s and perfectly mellowed in the ’70s. That era spawned many great bands and songs that are still heard today. Three groups that rocked us gently then will be casting their light sounds in Lincoln when the Sunshine Tour pulls into Twin River on Friday, […]
Saxophonist Greg Abate has been leading the charge of post-bop excellence around the state and remains a constant fixture in the area when he isn’t touring around the world. To coincide with the release of a new live album, Gratitude, he and I spoke on the phone about the new album, his music and his […]
Okee dokee folks… “We are stardust, we are golden” and we are coming up on the 50th anniversary of Woodstock. To celebrate, my girlfriend and I took a trip to Bethel, NY, where it all happened. This was not my first time there. At the time of the 25th, my duo Fuzek-Rossoni had just played […]
James Montgomery is a busy guy. The blues legend is constantly touring. “I’m one of these guys who’s never gone off the road. I’m probably performing about 100 gigs a year right now,” he tells us. We caught Montgomery somewhere between performances in Texas and in Ireland, where he also coordinates a blues festival. Ireland? […]
Sweet Dreams – How Ya Dune? On their debut EP, How Ya Dune?, Sweet Dreams kick things off with “Heaven Sent,” which has a power pop meets You’re Living Me Over Me-era Dinosaur Jr. vibe, especially with the production. Singer/Guitarist Eric Smith may lack J. Mascis’ guitar pyrotechnics, but he does a good job of capturing […]
Rhode Island’s long list of jazz musicians began with George M. Cohan. George was born in Providence during 1878. He was to grow up to become a leader in Broadway musicals. His credits include, being a giant entertainer, actor, composer, lyricist, jazz singer, dancer, producer and playwright. George was considered among the most important music […]
To help shine a light on the lives of working musicians, I’ve been interviewing my peers about performing and balancing their lives to make the music happen, and asking if they see a difference between playing for art’s sake or as a job. For this final article I talked to percussionist Ryan Kowal, a fantastic […]
Courtney Swain – Between Blood and Ocean Courtney Swain, the singer and keyboardist for Boston’s experimental rock group Bent Knee, has taken the next step in an impressive solo career with her latest full-length, Between Blood and Ocean. For the type of genre pigeonholing journalists love, Between Blood and Ocean is a formidable task. Citing […]