Remember that mix tape your friend made you way back when - the one that's etched in your soul?  Martin Sexton's new album Mixtape of the Open Road is that musical cross-country trip, blazing through all territories of style, as you cruise through time and place. This record is a charm bracelet of twelve gems all strung together with the golden thread of what Rolling Stone calls a  "soul marinated voice."  

A native of Syracuse, N.Y., and the tenth of 12 children, Martin Sexton grew up in the ’80s.

Uninterested in the music of the day, he fueled his dreams with the timeless sounds of classic rock ’n’ roll. As he discovered the dusty old vinyl left in the basement by one his big brothers, his musical fire was lit. Sexton eventually migrated to Boston, where he began to build a following singing on the streets of Harvard Square, gradually working his way through the scene. His 1992 collection of self-produced demo recordings, In the Journey, was recorded on an old 8-track in a friend’s attic. He managed to sell 20,000 copies out of his guitar case.

From 1996 to 2002 Sexton released Black Sheep, The American, Wonder Bar and Live Wide Open. The activity and worldwide touring behind these records laid the foundation for the career he enjoys today with an uncommonly loyal fan base; he sells out venues from New York’s Nokia Theatre to L.A.’s House of Blues, and tours regularly across Canada and Europe.

Happily and fiercely independent, Martin Sexton launched his own label, KTR, in 2002. Since then he has infiltrated many musical worlds, performing at concerts ranging from pop (collaborating with John Mayer) to the Jam scene to classic rock (collaborating with Peter Frampton); from the Newport Folk Fest to Bonnaroo to New Orleans Jazz Fest to a performance at Carnegie Hall.

Regardless of his reputation as a musician’s musician, Sexton can’t keep Hollywood away. His songs can be heard in many feature films and television including NBC’s Scrubs, Parenthood and Showtime’s hit series Brotherhood.

Stage, film and television aside, when Sexton isn’t touring he often mixes entertainment with his sense of social responsibility, performing at benefits for Paul Newman’s Hole in the Wall Gang camp, the Children’s Tumor Foundation, Japan earthquake/tsunami relief (The John Lennon Tribute), and Hurricane Irene relief efforts in Vermont, to name some.

In 2007 Sexton began his most successful years to date with the release of his studio offering Seeds. The album debuted at #6 on Billboard’s Heatseekers chart, and the Los Angeles Times said, “Call him a soul shouter, a road poet, a folkie or a rocker and you wouldn’t be wrong.”

The live CD/DVD set Solo, which includes a DVD of his performance at Denver’s Mile High Festival, followed in 2008.

In 2010 the album Sugarcoating found this one-of-a-kind-troubadour doing what he does best: locating larger truths. After hearing it, NBC anchor Brian Williams sought Martin out to sit down for an interview backstage at New York’s Beacon Theatre. It’s now featured on MSNBC’s BriTunes.

The accolades continue. Billboard called Sexton’s version of “Working Class Hero” for the Lennon tribute/benefit in 2010 “chill-inspiring.” Released this November as part of The 30th Annual John Lennon Tribute album, the track is available on iTunes.

This ticket is valid for the Meet & Greet ONLY and does not include admission to thes show.

Meet & Greet includes a new tour tee, VW Glory Bound pin, choice of CD, and a pass for the post-show reception with Martin.

----------------

Remember that mix tape your friend made you way back when - the one that's etched in your soul?  Martin Sexton's new album Mixtape of the Open Road is that musical cross-country trip, blazing through all territories of style, as you cruise through time and place. This record is a charm bracelet of twelve gems all strung together with the golden thread of what Rolling Stone calls a  "soul marinated voice."  

A native of Syracuse, N.Y., and the tenth of 12 children, Martin Sexton grew up in the ’80s.

Uninterested in the music of the day, he fueled his dreams with the timeless sounds of classic rock ’n’ roll. As he discovered the dusty old vinyl left in the basement by one his big brothers, his musical fire was lit. Sexton eventually migrated to Boston, where he began to build a following singing on the streets of Harvard Square, gradually working his way through the scene. His 1992 collection of self-produced demo recordings, In the Journey, was recorded on an old 8-track in a friend’s attic. He managed to sell 20,000 copies out of his guitar case.

From 1996 to 2002 Sexton released Black Sheep, The American, Wonder Bar and Live Wide Open. The activity and worldwide touring behind these records laid the foundation for the career he enjoys today with an uncommonly loyal fan base; he sells out venues from New York’s Nokia Theatre to L.A.’s House of Blues, and tours regularly across Canada and Europe.

Happily and fiercely independent, Martin Sexton launched his own label, KTR, in 2002. Since then he has infiltrated many musical worlds, performing at concerts ranging from pop (collaborating with John Mayer) to the Jam scene to classic rock (collaborating with Peter Frampton); from the Newport Folk Fest to Bonnaroo to New Orleans Jazz Fest to a performance at Carnegie Hall.

Regardless of his reputation as a musician’s musician, Sexton can’t keep Hollywood away. His songs can be heard in many feature films and television including NBC’s Scrubs, Parenthood and Showtime’s hit series Brotherhood.

Stage, film and television aside, when Sexton isn’t touring he often mixes entertainment with his sense of social responsibility, performing at benefits for Paul Newman’s Hole in the Wall Gang camp, the Children’s Tumor Foundation, Japan earthquake/tsunami relief (The John Lennon Tribute), and Hurricane Irene relief efforts in Vermont, to name some.

In 2007 Sexton began his most successful years to date with the release of his studio offering Seeds. The album debuted at #6 on Billboard’s Heatseekers chart, and the Los Angeles Times said, “Call him a soul shouter, a road poet, a folkie or a rocker and you wouldn’t be wrong.”

The live CD/DVD set Solo, which includes a DVD of his performance at Denver’s Mile High Festival, followed in 2008.

In 2010 the album Sugarcoating found this one-of-a-kind-troubadour doing what he does best: locating larger truths. After hearing it, NBC anchor Brian Williams sought Martin out to sit down for an interview backstage at New York’s Beacon Theatre. It’s now featured on MSNBC’s BriTunes.

The accolades continue. Billboard called Sexton’s version of “Working Class Hero” for the Lennon tribute/benefit in 2010 “chill-inspiring.” Released this November as part of The 30th Annual John Lennon Tribute album, the track is available on iTunes.

Remember that mix tape your friend made you way back when - the one that's etched in your soul?  Martin Sexton's new album Mixtape of the Open Road is that musical cross-country trip, blazing through all territories of style, as you cruise through time and place. This record is a charm bracelet of twelve gems all strung together with the golden thread of what Rolling Stone calls a  "soul marinated voice."  

A native of Syracuse, N.Y., and the tenth of 12 children, Martin Sexton grew up in the ’80s.

Uninterested in the music of the day, he fueled his dreams with the timeless sounds of classic rock ’n’ roll. As he discovered the dusty old vinyl left in the basement by one his big brothers, his musical fire was lit. Sexton eventually migrated to Boston, where he began to build a following singing on the streets of Harvard Square, gradually working his way through the scene. His 1992 collection of self-produced demo recordings, In the Journey, was recorded on an old 8-track in a friend’s attic. He managed to sell 20,000 copies out of his guitar case.

From 1996 to 2002 Sexton released Black Sheep, The American, Wonder Bar and Live Wide Open. The activity and worldwide touring behind these records laid the foundation for the career he enjoys today with an uncommonly loyal fan base; he sells out venues from New York’s Nokia Theatre to L.A.’s House of Blues, and tours regularly across Canada and Europe.

Happily and fiercely independent, Martin Sexton launched his own label, KTR, in 2002. Since then he has infiltrated many musical worlds, performing at concerts ranging from pop (collaborating with John Mayer) to the Jam scene to classic rock (collaborating with Peter Frampton); from the Newport Folk Fest to Bonnaroo to New Orleans Jazz Fest to a performance at Carnegie Hall.

Regardless of his reputation as a musician’s musician, Sexton can’t keep Hollywood away. His songs can be heard in many feature films and television including NBC’s Scrubs, Parenthood and Showtime’s hit series Brotherhood.

Stage, film and television aside, when Sexton isn’t touring he often mixes entertainment with his sense of social responsibility, performing at benefits for Paul Newman’s Hole in the Wall Gang camp, the Children’s Tumor Foundation, Japan earthquake/tsunami relief (The John Lennon Tribute), and Hurricane Irene relief efforts in Vermont, to name some.

In 2007 Sexton began his most successful years to date with the release of his studio offering Seeds. The album debuted at #6 on Billboard’s Heatseekers chart, and the Los Angeles Times said, “Call him a soul shouter, a road poet, a folkie or a rocker and you wouldn’t be wrong.”

The live CD/DVD set Solo, which includes a DVD of his performance at Denver’s Mile High Festival, followed in 2008.

In 2010 the album Sugarcoating found this one-of-a-kind-troubadour doing what he does best: locating larger truths. After hearing it, NBC anchor Brian Williams sought Martin out to sit down for an interview backstage at New York’s Beacon Theatre. It’s now featured on MSNBC’s BriTunes.

The accolades continue. Billboard called Sexton’s version of “Working Class Hero” for the Lennon tribute/benefit in 2010 “chill-inspiring.” Released this November as part of The 30th Annual John Lennon Tribute album, the track is available on iTunes.

Chris Trapper

ABOUT ISLE OF KLEZBOS:

NYC-based ISLE of KLEZBOS approaches tradition with playful irreverence and deepest respect. Now celebrating two decades together, the soulful, fun-loving powerhouse all-women’s klezmer sextet has toured from Vienna to Vancouver since 1998. Band repertoire ranges from rambunctious to entrancing: Neo-traditional folk dance, mystical melodies, Yiddish swing & retro tango, late Soviet-era Jewish drinking song, re-grooved standards, and genre-defying originals -- as heard on CBSSunday Morning, The L Word, PBS, and over a dozen film soundtracks with audio from the band’s live and studio recordings: Greetings from the Isle of Klezbos and latest CD, Live From Brooklyn (named among New York Music Daily's "Top 50 Albums of the Year" in any genre). The band is noted for their tight yet adventurous sound and solos that swing the Yiddish stratosphere. We are thrilled to feature astonishing singer/songwriter NATALIA ZUKERMAN as our special guest at this specialEARTH DAY KLEZMER BRUNCH 2018! Her latest project, "The Women Who Rode Away," features original songs and portraits.

ISLE of KLEZBOS ("Cutting Edge Klezmer" - New York Magazine) has been honored as the first klezmer ensemble ever featured at Feinstein’s 54 Below, as well as by Chamber Music America’s annual conference in both Jazz and World Music genres. Among the group’s performers are alumnae of Juilliard, Eastman, Manhattan and Berklee Schools of Music, as well as Harvard’s Russian History & Literature Department.  Highlights of 2017: Denver debut at JAAMM Festival, headlining Oberlin Spring Folk Fest, and multi-media concert The Celluloid Closet of Yiddish Film at NYC’s Center for Jewish History (YIVO Institute/American Jewish Historical Society/American Jewish Music Society, Pride Season event co-sponsors). Upcoming 20th anniversary tours will feature West Coast premieres including San Francisco's Yerba Buena Gardens Festival and Portland OR's Alberta Rose Theater this summer, returning to the Bay Area as well as Southern California for Hanukkah 2018. The band will make their Florida debut for The Arts Garage in February 2019. The band has been received multiple awards from the Sparkplug Foundation, New York State Council on the Arts, NYC’s Department of Cultural Affairs, Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, and OUTmusic, among other prizes and recognition.

Special ISLE of KLEZBOS projects have included J.EDGAR KLEZMER: Songs from My Grandmother’s FBI Files, original musical documentary theater created by drummer/bandleader/composer & lyricist Eve Sicular, praised by The New York Times for “lively score… smartly written;” the show sold out its Off-Off Broadway run at HERE Arts. The band has also collaborated with the likes of Jill Sobule (Music from Yentl at Joe’s Pub & Lincoln Center), Scissor Sisters (studio sessions), and Natalia Zukerman, as well as enjoying guest artist MC’s Jackie Hoffman, Lisa Kron, Jennifer ‘Circus Amok’ Miller and many more for their annual KlezBiGay Pride festivities.Recent special appearances: A Letter to Harvey Milk opening night party house band; World Science Festival surprise guest artists in honor of Alan Alda at WSF gala (Jazz at Lincoln Center); and Cinema Arts Centre featured music artists with SNL legend Alan Zweibel. The band originated as spinoff “sister sextet” of Metropolitan Klezmer, an octet also led by drummer Eve Sicular (now in its 24th year, with five album releases to date). For more info, please

visit Isle of Klezbos online.

Isle of Klezbos PERFORMERS:
Klezbos.com

Soprano Melissa Fogarty, vocals

Debra Kreisberg, clarinet & alto saxophone

Pam Fleming, trumpet & flugelhorn

Shoko Nagai, accordion & piano

Eve Sicular, drums  

plus special guest klezbian Dave Hofstra (of Metropolitan Klezmer) double bass & tuba

& guest artist NATALIA ZUKERMAN

NataliaZukerman.com

“Isle of Klezbos: Isle of Manhattan! 20th Anniversary Sextet Concerts” is made possible in part with public funds from Creative Engagement / Creative Learning, supported by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and administered by Lower Manhattan Cultural Council. LMCC.net

This ticket is valid for the Meet & Greet ONLY and does not include admission to thes show.

Meet & Greet includes a new tour tee, VW Glory Bound pin, choice of CD, and a pass for the post-show reception with Martin.

----------------

Remember that mix tape your friend made you way back when - the one that's etched in your soul?  Martin Sexton's new album Mixtape of the Open Road is that musical cross-country trip, blazing through all territories of style, as you cruise through time and place. This record is a charm bracelet of twelve gems all strung together with the golden thread of what Rolling Stone calls a  "soul marinated voice."  

A native of Syracuse, N.Y., and the tenth of 12 children, Martin Sexton grew up in the ’80s.

Uninterested in the music of the day, he fueled his dreams with the timeless sounds of classic rock ’n’ roll. As he discovered the dusty old vinyl left in the basement by one his big brothers, his musical fire was lit. Sexton eventually migrated to Boston, where he began to build a following singing on the streets of Harvard Square, gradually working his way through the scene. His 1992 collection of self-produced demo recordings, In the Journey, was recorded on an old 8-track in a friend’s attic. He managed to sell 20,000 copies out of his guitar case.

From 1996 to 2002 Sexton released Black Sheep, The American, Wonder Bar and Live Wide Open. The activity and worldwide touring behind these records laid the foundation for the career he enjoys today with an uncommonly loyal fan base; he sells out venues from New York’s Nokia Theatre to L.A.’s House of Blues, and tours regularly across Canada and Europe.

Happily and fiercely independent, Martin Sexton launched his own label, KTR, in 2002. Since then he has infiltrated many musical worlds, performing at concerts ranging from pop (collaborating with John Mayer) to the Jam scene to classic rock (collaborating with Peter Frampton); from the Newport Folk Fest to Bonnaroo to New Orleans Jazz Fest to a performance at Carnegie Hall.

Regardless of his reputation as a musician’s musician, Sexton can’t keep Hollywood away. His songs can be heard in many feature films and television including NBC’s Scrubs, Parenthood and Showtime’s hit series Brotherhood.

Stage, film and television aside, when Sexton isn’t touring he often mixes entertainment with his sense of social responsibility, performing at benefits for Paul Newman’s Hole in the Wall Gang camp, the Children’s Tumor Foundation, Japan earthquake/tsunami relief (The John Lennon Tribute), and Hurricane Irene relief efforts in Vermont, to name some.

In 2007 Sexton began his most successful years to date with the release of his studio offering Seeds. The album debuted at #6 on Billboard’s Heatseekers chart, and the Los Angeles Times said, “Call him a soul shouter, a road poet, a folkie or a rocker and you wouldn’t be wrong.”

The live CD/DVD set Solo, which includes a DVD of his performance at Denver’s Mile High Festival, followed in 2008.

In 2010 the album Sugarcoating found this one-of-a-kind-troubadour doing what he does best: locating larger truths. After hearing it, NBC anchor Brian Williams sought Martin out to sit down for an interview backstage at New York’s Beacon Theatre. It’s now featured on MSNBC’s BriTunes.

The accolades continue. Billboard called Sexton’s version of “Working Class Hero” for the Lennon tribute/benefit in 2010 “chill-inspiring.” Released this November as part of The 30th Annual John Lennon Tribute album, the track is available on iTunes.

"ONE OF NASHVILLE'S MOST BRILLIANT..." - NASHVILLE MUSIC GUIDE
Vocals, Guitar / Jon Decious
Vocals / Steevie Steeves

Diverse backgrounds in life and music could have taken Towne’s Steevie Steeves and Jon Decious in two very different directions. Instead, their love of songwriting allowed for their paths to cross. “Jon was a breath of fresh air. We were two peas in a pod. We’re really fortunate to have developed the friendship we have. We definitely have each other’s backs,” says Steeves. Their stylistic collision has resulted in Towne’s unconventional sound - demonstrated in the duo’s upcoming releases. “His punk country mixed with my pop soulness is a very interesting dynamic, and it is what it is. It’s definitely different.”

With Steeves from Pennsylvania and Decious from Tennessee by way of Kentucky, the two came from vastly different musical backgrounds - the only similarity being their affinity for the art form itself. “I was in a punk rock band called the Pink Spiders when I was younger,” says Decious. Though successful (the band found a spot on the Geffen Records roster), Decious found his more natural placement in country band Dixie Whiskey alongside friends and fellow musicians Kelby Ray Caldwell (Cadillac Three), Dillon Napier (drummer, Margo Price) and artist Caitlin Rose. “Everyone was like, ‘well, if we want to start a band, we have to write songs.’ We wound up writing an EP, which was written up by the Nashville Scene as one of the best releases in Nashville that year along with Paramore and Kings of Leon… None of it was remotely planned.” With that, Decious found a new love in songwriting.

For Steeves, music was an essential. “I was always trying to write music. It was a really fun, cool thing to do,” says Steeves. “I was a really shy person when I was little. If I sang, it was my form of communication. I never really expressed feelings, but anything that had music behind it helped me flourish a little bit.” In high school, she found further passion in musical theater. “I was obsessed with it.” After high school, Steeves bypassed college to join a band. Realizing a music career in her native Pennsylvania could only take her so far, she made the move to Nashville. “I had a huge fire lit under my ass - I came to Nashville with a purpose. I started writing right off the bat. I waitressed, and sang demos for money.”

Though each had a successful run at music independent of the other, their partnership began rather serendipitously when both got scholarships to Skip Ewing’s Horse and Writer songwriting camp in Wyoming. “I’d written with a few guys back in Nashville that had encouraged me to apply for Skip’s writing seminar... I met Jon, and I liked him right off the bat,” says Steeves. They crossed paths quickly progressed into a partnership driven by a powerful musical connection. “We quickly realized we lived across the street from each other in Nashville. We began writing and performing together, and here we are,” says Decious.

Their difference in musical background lead to a sound that lends itself to several genres. “When I think of great songwriters, I think Rodgers and Hammerstein, or Andrew Lloyd Webber,” says Steeves. “I think more about the great country songwriters,” says Decious. Sonically, Towne offers a sound that can only be described as a harmonious blend of alternative, folk and pop. Steeves’ powerfully raw lead vocals are balanced by Decious’ smooth and steady harmonies.

The upcoming releases are just the start of the sound’s unveiling - a preview of their forthcoming EP.  “You get the New York Broadway and back roads country,” says Steeves. “That’s why we’re called Towne. We came from two different places, different musical backgrounds. But we meet in the middle. We’re both songwriters with very different influences.” And with confidence in sound and a name to fit the bill, Steeves and Decious have never been more secure in their path moving forward. “Everything I’ve done has prepared me to be in a band with Jon, and headed where we’re headed,” says Steeves. “All of my experiences have prepared me for this.”

With more singles to be released and a new full-fledged LP coming sometime this year, TOWNE and its team members are excited to share what's to come with all our #townefolk.

Undeniably a place where the grapes grow has a tremendous impact on wines that will be produced from them. Guided through six wines by our Wine Director you will explore how climate, terroir and vintage variations affect the wine and how you can identify the difference. You will learn how to distinguish between the wines from cool and warm climates, notice differences between wines produced in different years and to navigate vintage charts like a pro.

Trusting your senses and listening to wine will help you learn the basics of blind tasting and will enhance you enjoyment of wine!

Joseph:

There is nothing like the sound of siblings singing together. Whether it’s the Beach Boys or the Everly Brothers—or, more recently, First Aid Kit—absorbing the same breathing rhythms and speech patterns adds an element to vocal harmonies that can be pure magic. With the release of I’m Alone, No You’re Not, the mesmerizing, hypnotic sound of the trio known as Joseph—made up of sisters Allison, Meegan, and Natalie Closner—joins this elite company.

“It’s just second nature, like a fifth limb that’s already on you,” says first-born Natalie. “There’s an ability to anticipate what’s going to happen and blend with it. When Meegan and Allison sing, they know exactly what I’m going to do and when.”

But the Closners didn’t actually start singing together when they were growing up in Oregon, the children of artistic parents (their dad was a jazz singer and drummer, their mom a theater teacher). Natalie was the performer—“the older sister who stood on the edge of the fireplace and told everyone, ‘Watch me!,’“ she says. Twins Meegan and Allison stayed out of her lane, joining in for their mother’s musical theater productions but otherwise avoiding the spotlight.

When Natalie was in college, she began pursuing music more seriously. The summer before her senior year, she went to Nashville to check out the scene and work on her guitar playing and songwriting. She had recorded an EP and done a few rounds of touring when a friend sat her down one day.

“It was kind of dramatic,” she says, “He took me aside and said, ‘I don’t think you really believe in this.’ It stopped me in my tracks.” She thought deeply about the music she was making and had a curious epiphany; she decided to ask her sisters if they would consider singing with her.

Initially, they didn’t really get it. “We thought she was asking us to be background singers, so we didn’t take it that seriously,” says Allison. “It was more commitment than I was expecting—I even tried to leave at one point, but after a while, I was convinced.”

A transformation occurred when the Closners were in the process of recording their first album, Native Dreamer Kin. At the time, they were calling themselves Dearborn, but their producer felt that the name didn’t fit the strength of the music. They went to visit their grandfather Jo, in the eastern Oregon town of Joseph. Allison made a playlist for the trip and called it “Joseph,” which is what influenced the band’s name.

“Once she said it, it just hit us all—that’s what this is and who we are, these are the sounds of the land that we’ve lived on,” says Natalie.

With this new sense of themselves, Meegan and Allison began taking a more active role in the group’s songwriting. Meegan notes that while the process was a “totally new journey” for her, it felt similar to the candor and vulnerability of her long-time journaling—just “pulling out the gold and arranging that into neater lines.”

She and Natalie both point to the song “Honest” as a keystone for the development of I’m Alone, No You’re Not. “We were trying really hard to write a song, but nothing was coming,” recalls Natalie. “One night, Meegan was working on some lyrics and getting frustrated, so she wrote in the margin of the page, ‘I can’t say a true thing. It’s hard to be that honest.’ Immediately after that, her most honest sentence spilled out—‘There’s always two thoughts, one after the other: I’m alone. No, you’re not.’ And she thought, ‘Oh, there’s the song.’ “

Meanwhile, the group was cultivating a devoted fan base in the most traditional ways possible: touring the Western states playing living room shows, backyard parties, and secret house party gigs; reaching an audience directly through such platforms as Noisetrade; selling their self-released CD and building a loyal following step by step. By the time they were approached by ATO Records, Joseph had already built a strong community of fans on its own.

As they moved toward making their second record, the project took an additional turn when the Closners decided to work with some other songwriters in Los Angeles. “We were afraid of it at first because the songs were more pop than we were used to writing,” says Meegan, “but as we internalized them, they started becoming super-important to us.”

They point to “More Alive Than Dead,” co-written with Ethan Gruska, as an example of these contributions. “That song describes an experience with a partner where you have hard things in your combined past,” says Natalie. “You’re haunted by them until you realize that those things are dead, and as long as you dwell on them, you’re missing the real live person in front of you.”

She adds, though, that Gruska was critical in clarifying and sharpening the nuanced emotion of the lyric. “When Ethan sent us back the demo, I lost it, He was able to see the heart of the song and bring it out, cut to the core of what I was trying to say.”

Finally, the women of Joseph recorded the album with acclaimed producer Mike Mogis (Bright Eyes, Jenny Lewis, First Aid Kit) at his studio in Omaha. He was able to open up their expansive, evocative vocal sound with powerful and striking arrangements, adding depth while highlighting their haunting intensity.

“This was our first time doing a recording like this,” says Natalie, “and we learned so much about creativity. Mike is a genius, and he’s just a total maniac as a musician, so he took these bare bones songs and brought them to life with lush, gorgeous textures and sounds.”

The initial reaction to the music on I’m Alone, No You’re Not has been remarkable. Joseph was selected as a #SpotifySpotlight artist, and booked for festivals including Bonnaroo, Pickathon, and Sasquatch even prior to the release of the single “White Flag,” a song inspired by an article predicting a massive earthquake for the Pacific Northwest.

“Reading that created a heaviness that was making us jumpy, scared, and miserable,” says Natalie. “It became clear we had two options: be scared and cowering, backing away from the world into paralysis, or keep moving and live. Defy fear. Wear peace. Find better ways to love the people in our lives instead of huddling together like frightened sheep thinking about earthquakes.”

Most rewarding for the Closner sisters has been feeling the audience response to the new songs, as they tour supporting such artists as James Bay and Amos Lee. “This is really when you learn what’s special about a song, or if it’s special,” says Natalie. “It’s this crazy firecracker thing that happens—‘Am I feeling something? Is anyone? What is this song, what does it do, which parts make the most sense?’

“It really is about connection with people, and we’re so grateful we’ve gotten the chance to do that. This has been a totally wild journey, and we’re constantly blown away with possibility of what could be.”

Becca Mancari:

Becca Mancari is rewriting the rules. Born in Staten Island, New York, to an Italian-Irish preacher and a Puerto Rican mother, Mancari has lived a life of transition - from working as a janitor in South Florida, to writing songs with train hoppers in the Blue Ridge Mountains and seeking spirituality in India. But it was her time in Virginia and Nashville where she found the roots music that would continue to inspire her musical evolution to today. 

Her anticipated debut album, "Good Woman," is hauntingly lonesome, with dust-cloud swells of electric guitar and don't-look-back lyrics revealing scenes from Mancari’s well-travelled story. She recalls, “I remember being 19, and I would go to this old warehouse where a bunch of old timers would be siting around picking and drinking moonshine…and we are talking straight up moonshine." During this time, Mancari's curiosity to see the world with eager, fresh eyes grew, drawing her to travel and experience all types of people and places. Her travels would inevitably impact her music; since her music is the landscape of all she's seen, “Good Woman” evokes the sound of city grit and the mountain music of her youth, swirling into a fresh, nostalgic sound.

Mancari explains that she wants her music to be familiar to audiences, but also pushing creative boundaries, rewriting the rules for her genre. She explains, “Our hope is that we’re doing something that respects the roots but also has space and the galaxy in it.” It's these planetary frontiers, along with the powerful fragility in her voice, that make Mancari's music beyond standard classifications. Perhaps more striking than Mancari’s sound is the tender honesty and vulnerability present in each of her songs. Ann Powers describes Mancari’s writing as "lyrical and raw," commenting on the "great personality in her songs." As a gay woman in the south, she has fought hard to reconcile her spiritual beliefs with her sexuality. Her strong personality enables her to be a spokeswoman to the outcast and the misfit, helping her redefine the categories that so often divide people. Mancari explains, “It was not an easy road when I came out. No matter how hard I tried to fit into society’s molds, I could not. I want to be open and proud of who I am, because I needed people like that in my life when I was young.” Mancari hopes that people will find the bravery in her story and be able to discover their own inner strength.

When Mancari sings, she shines with authenticity. It is evident that Mancari knows exactly who she is, and her music has a strong sense of identity. But it is her refusal to subscribe to molds and societies trends that sets Mancari apart. Mancari is challenging all of us to throw away the old book and create a new genre of music. In a short time, Mancari has made a name for herself in Nashville and the southeast. She has toured and played with Margo Price, Hurray For The Riff Raff, The Lone Bellow, SUSTO, Joan Osborne, The Weeks, and more.

It’s easy for a surfer to lose focus and fall into the steady pull of the crashing waves, and it’s easy for a musician to forget where they came from under the glaring lights, before a sea of adoring fans screaming their name. On a surfboard or on a stage, the ground is made of different matter, and truth defers to the engulfing chaos. Jon Foreman has treaded these waters for over 20 years, moored by the truth he carries in his bones.

In 1996, he began his music career heading an unassuming San Diego-based band, now known all over the world as the multi-platinum, Grammy-winning alt-rock group Switchfoot.

Always feeling that there was more music in him than hours in the day, Jon began releasing solo EPs in 2007. Beginning with the Seasons collection, 4 EPs released over the course of a year and followed by The Wonderlands, a collection of 24 songs each representing an hour of the day.

Born from solitary introspection, The Wonderlands’ 24 tracks blossom with the diverse yet cohesive contributions of 24 different producers, each interpreting the meaning of Jon's vocals through their own instrumental vision.

"Through song, I'm trying to explore the physical space of music. I wanted to create a place that would exist only when you press play; a place of light and shadows, tension and release, things that you know and things that you don't know. It's incredible that you can create a mood, almost a structure of feeling. All 24 songs will correspond with different moods of the day. At the end I'm going to do 25 concerts in 24 hours."

This spring, the film 25 IN 24 will be released worldwide on March 2018, documenting the improbable journey of playing 25 shows in 24 hours. In February of 2018, Jon and friends will embark on an 18 city tour of the US reliving the 24 hour experience through songs, and a screening of the film, 25 IN 24.

Wasabassco is world-renowned for its disarmingly sexy combination of contemporary striptease and top-tier variety. Bringing together retro-glam sophistication and a playful sense of humor, events are carefully curated to feature only the finest talent, an eclectic range of jaw-dropping acts that change nightly.

Treat yourself to a well deserved date night hosted by Sapphire Jones with and all-star lineup of Wasabassco's favorite performers. The Best of The Best in The Greatest City In The World. So what are you doing this weekend?

“NYC's most legendary burlesque troupe” -Time Out

“ONE of the TOP 10 Best Burlesque Shows in the World” -Travel Channel

Standing Room Only Tickets Sold here: 

SPRING is here!

Celebrate by coming to hear music by your favorite band, BETTY.

Old songs and brand new ones too.

Bring friends, lovers and BETTY virgins.

From their inception, BETTY has pushed the boundaries of pop music, utilizing their powerful, fun, fierce, female energy as an extension of their tight harmonies, breezy backbeats, and unwavering emphasis on melody. BETTY aspires to bring joy, love, heartbreak, and wonder to their music.

Get ready for a wonderful night.

Find out more about the BETTY Effect here! 

Photo Credit: Francesca Galliani

STANDING ROOM TICKETS ONLY!

SPRING is here!

Celebrate by coming to hear music by your favorite band, BETTY.

Old songs and brand new ones too.

Bring friends, lovers and BETTY virgins.

From their inception, BETTY has pushed the boundaries of pop music, utilizing their powerful, fun, fierce, female energy as an extension of their tight harmonies, breezy backbeats, and unwavering emphasis on melody. BETTY aspires to bring joy, love, heartbreak, and wonder to their music.

Get ready for a wonderful night.

Find about more about the BETTY Effect here!

Photo Credit: Francesca Galliani

Rico Jones

Rico Jones, a Colorado native, first picked up the alto saxophone at age 11 while in the fifth

grade. Before even learning to read music it became clear that he had a keen ear for melodies and, learning songs by ear. In his first year at Denver School of The Arts Rico was formally introduced to jazz music through clinics and performances by such notables as Curtis Fuller and Kneebody. By eighth grade Rico was playing with high school level ensembles as well as participating in the Denver Jazz Club Youth All-Stars, Telluride All-Star Band, and The Sacramento Jazz Festival All Stars group. In the ensuing years  he performed in the top ensemble at Colorado Conservatory for the Jazz Arts, competed in Swing Central Jazz Competition in Savannah, Georgia, took part in the Telluride Jazz Festival all Star ensemble for five consecutive years and, was chosen as a member of the Jazz on 2nd Avenue young lion group. He took part in the 2015 Grammy Band Jazz session workshop in L.A. in 2016 he was chosen take part in the prestigious Jazz Band of America. Recently Rico performed at the Detroit Jazz festival with the 2016 Ron Carter bass competition award winner Cole Davis.  He has performed with notable artists such as Ernie Watts, Candido, Donald Harrison, Howard Levy, Greg Osby, Bobby Sanabria, Dave Koz, Greg Gisbert, Jeff Coffin, Colin Stranahan, Hubert Laws, Gabriel Mervine, Brad Goode, Terrell Stafford and, Earl Klugh. Rico Jones lives in New York City where he pursues an academic and professional career at the Manhattan School of Music. Rico has also recently released his first album The Search: Live at Dazzle under the Synergy.

Rich Perry

“Eloquent, inventive, thoughtfully lyrical, rich and full-bodied, impassioned yet cerebral –– serious chops, but chooses to go for the heart” are all words and phrases critics have used to describe Rich Perry’s unique voice on tenor saxophone.  Born in 1955 in Cleveland, Ohio, Perry became interested in jazz in high school, and studied briefly at Bowling Green State University, before moving to New York to freelance. In 1977 he joined the legendary Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra which at that time included Pepper Adams, Jerry Dodgion, Rufus Reid, and Harold Danko and spent the next two years touring the U.S. and Europe.  After Thad Jones left the band, Perry continued playing with Mel Lewis, recording three LP’s with him, including Live in Montreux, and Naturally.  The band, with Perry as a key member, is now known as The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, and continues to play every Monday night at the Village Vanguard in New York, as the group continues to tour and record.  Three of their recent cds have been nominated for Grammy Awards. Over the years Perry has additionally played with numerous other notable figures in jazz, including Chet Baker, Paul Bley, Machito, Lee Konitz, Rufus Reid, Richie Beirach, George Mraz, Renee Rosnes, Billy Hart, Fred Hersch, Dave Stryker, Harold Danko, and more.

Perry has recorded 20 albums as a leader, and has appeared as a sideman or featured soloist on over 55 more recordings, including being featured with the George Mraz Quartet, the Maria Schneider Orchestra, the Matt Panayides Group, Dave Scott, Gary Versace, Mark Soskin, and the John Fedchock New York Big Band.Perry frequently works as a guest soloist with various professional and university groups in the U.S. and abroad.  A sought-after teacher, he presently is on faculty at William Paterson University, New York University, and Manhattan School of Music in New York.

Women of Letters is everyone’s favorite literary salon!

Every month, New York’s best and brightest women come together on stage to celebrate the lost art of letter writing. Expect laughter, tears, and camaraderie as host Sofija Stefanovic welcomes guests reading “A letter to my sorry-not-sorry”. Together on stage for the first time ever:

Award-winning journalist and Teen Vogue columnist LAUREN DUCA

Pulitzer Prize-winning critic and author of Negroland MARGO JEFFERSON

Prize-winning author of You Too Can Have A Body Like Mine ALEXANDRA KLEEMAN

Critically acclaimed singer and actor MOLLY POPE

Beloved comic, producer and host SHALEWA SHARPE

Celebrated writer and author of It Ended Badly JENNIFER WRIGHT

The show attracts guests of the highest caliber, from all disciplines. Women of Letters veterans include: Molly Ringwald, Elaine Welteroth, Jean Grae, Kathleen Turner, Margo Jefferson, Martha Wainwright, Nancy Whang, Siri Hustvedt, Sasheer Zamata, Edie Falco, Susan Orlean, Emma Straub, Alexis Okeowo, Sonia Manzano,  Eileen Myles, Suki Kim, Tavi Gevinson, Yael Stone, Amber Tamblyn and many more.

Proceeds from Women of Letters shows are regularly donated to charity, with over $750,000 being raised globally to date.

“In our world which is becoming increasingly more disconnected by dependency on social media and our tendencies to live online, I feel that projects like Women of Letters are the antidote. Bringing people together in one room to hear people tell their stories is a powerful reminder of our humanity” — Molly Ringwald

“Women of Letters is the perfect alchemy of literary art-party and storytelling, with drinking and bonding for all genders of truth-seekers. Marieke and Michaela deserve a medal for creating this happening while we're on earth.” — Amanda Palmer

“You'll bond with some crazy-talented women over diverse passions, intimate struggles, and of course, drinks.” — BUST Magazine

Hosted by acclaimed author and Moth storyteller Sofija Stefanovic @sstefanovic

Produced by Trish Nelson’s BanterGirl @BanterGirlSTW

Founded by Michaela McGuire @michaelamcguire

and Marieke Hardy @mariekehardy

We are: @WoL_NYC

Lineup Subject To Change