Beyond the notes, the tone, and the technique, and all the “gee whiz” from the proletariat, stands the man who is the master of all three. Rochester jazz guitarist Steve Greene is an utterly splendid and prolific artist. But a conversation with this stunning cat goes deeper to reveal aspects that pre-date the notes, tone, […]
Rochester music
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Frank reviews The Younger Gang
As the ghosts of so many mondo-cool rock shows of years gone by bounced off the walls of the empty pool that is Manhatan Square Park, The Younger Gang conjured bluegrassy boogiemen and specters of its own. This string-driven quartet takes the vintage patina of old-tyme music and applies it to a slightly modernized sound. […]
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Matthew Shipp-Michael Bisio Duo
There is little doubt that Matthew Shipp is among the most brilliant pianists in jazz. But over his three-decade career he has sparked no shortage of controversy due to his embrace of genres outside of jazz. In the 1990’s he put out records on punk rocker Henry Rollins’ 2.13.61 label. He later performed and recorded […]
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Top cat on the bottom end
It’s not hard to spot Brian Williams. It’s hard to keep up with Williams, but not hard to find him at joint du jour, his arms around his big doghouse bass, with that big smile on his dial. Williams is everywhere, he’s the bass man of the Rochester scene, the go-to guy, the top cat […]
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Admirers
Mikey James is worn out, but not burned out. He’s jaded, but not cynical. He’s stripped his latest project, Admirers, down to those he can trust to handle the music the way he hears music and creates it. Admirers is a one–man band. It’s James solamente. Though he hires sidemen for live shows, all the […]
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Looping back around
In the 1970’s and 80’s, Walt Atkison made a name for himself in the Rochester area — and the tour stops along Interstate 90 — as the one-man band. Using an Echoplex and a tambourine he’d kick around with his boots, Atkison played solo shows at almost every Rochester venue of the time, from the […]
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ALBUM REVIEW: “Desperate Times, Desperate Measures”
Nasty Habit “Desperate Times, Desperate Measures” Self-released Nastyhabitkills.com Nasty Habit surprises with “Desperate Times, Desperate Measures,” the band’s second release. Its five fantastic songs of classic hard-rock/metal positively rocks, soars, and boogies. The band’s earlier breakneck abandon was cool to hear — and watch — but if it escalated any further, chances are there was […]
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The Empty Hearts
Andy Babiuk just wanted to have fun. But after a three decade run with influential garage giants The Chesterfield Kings, some of the fun had checked out. He felt beat up, beat down, wore out. “I’d been doing the Chesterfield Kings for 30-plus years,” Babiuk says. “And it was getting to be a lot of […]
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Genesee Johnny & The River Rats
John Sacheli has always wanted to be Genesee Johnny. He’s bopped around Rochester for the past 15 years in various bands — most notably the song-centric group, The Spirit of Ontario — but the man’s resume reads more like a detour until Sacheli began to play the blues. The Spirit of Ontario went down in […]
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Greg Townson unmasked
The Rochester musician just played in front of 50,000 fans in Mexico City. Now, he’s hanging out for happy hour at Abilene.
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The Meg Williams Band
Meg Williams is soft-spoken and sweet, perhaps even a bit shy. The Rochester-based singer/songwriter/guitarist laughs nervously when discussing her music — a bluesy jam with a casual twist of funk and soul — and her group, The Meg Williams Band. It’s all captured on the band’s excellent debut, “Troubles To The Wind.” But the bashfulness […]
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The Cheetah Whores
The Cheetah Whores have endured. The Rochester band has endured the thankless hardship of being in a band. It’s endured the senseless murder of one of its members, bassist Shalonda “Pearl” Simpson. And it’s endured the Cheetah Whores — its own drunken antics, mania, and onstage volatility. Despite the madness, the members of The Cheetah […]
