Bklyn Sounds 2/12/2025—2/18/2025
This week's shows include: Yoko Ono tribute concerts / 'Dope Jams Valentine's Ball' featuring LADYMONIX ++ / James Carter Quartet / 75 Dollar Bill / 'Donuts Are Forever' / Cymande / + much more
I have updated the “For Los Angeles…” post with more NYC❤️LA fundraiser shows, and pertinent reads. (Lars Gotrich continues adding to his BSky thread of compilations being released to benefit LA communities affected by the fires. Link within the post but also here.)
Thinking of all of you in the cruel insanity of the world. Please remember to take care of yourselves mentally and physically. Please go out of your way to take care of each other. And those of us whose identities privilege us in the eyes of this criminal enterprise we call the federal government at the moment, remember to come to the aid and the protection of those community member under attack. Know when to STFU, and when to get loud and angry. There is need for both.
THIS WEEK’S SHOWS:
The great Detroit saxophonist James Carter, once a young lion now a grizzled growler, brings his quartet to the Upper West Side gallery for a performance tied to photographer Richard Corman’s exhibit, A Wonderful World. Proceeds from the exhibit, made up of Corman’s photo portraits of jazz and blues musicians, will go to benefit the Jazz Foundation of America’s Musicians’ emergency fund. (Wed 2/12, 7p @ Wild Geese Gallery, Uptown - FREE w/RSVP)
The mighty Chicago-based tenor saxophonist Isaiah Collier and legendary NYC bassist William Parker have done a few things together: one of the first was a trio gig at the Blank Forms “apartment” in 2022, one of the most recent was a live trio album called The Ancients, with drummer William Hooker. Together and apart, they are a remarkable cross-generational pair, creating sounds outside of time-frames. At this Upper East Side gallery gig, also organized by Blank Forms, the prompts are George Condo paintings; but honestly, these two have never needed prompts. Highest Recommendation! (Wed 2/12, 7p @ Sprüth Magers, Uptown - FREE w/RSVP)
A massive triple bill of solo sets by compatriots whom Dada Strain readers probably don’t need another huge introduction to, except as an affirmation that all are instrumentalists, songsmiths, composers/improvisers, musickers and humans of the highest order. Guitarist Wendy Eisenberg is playing solo, and Mari More Eaze is too (though billed, Kaho Matsui can’t make it), and drummer Ryan Sawyer is the night’s rhythmalist. Happy Birthday to organizer Right To Scream. (Thurs 2/13, 7p @ Union Pool, W’burg - $18)
One of London’s great contributions to the Black Atlantic musical renaissance of the 1970s, which brought together rock, soul/funk and Afro-Caribean rhythms, Cymande and its records have lived in crates and on playlists of knowing DJs for 50 years. Samples on three decades of hip-hop and house tracks kept the band’s name in circulation, and the tight 2022 documentary, Getting It Back, put wind in their reunion sails. Now there’s a new album, Renascence, and an American tour that involves original members and young cats who can blaze. (Thurs 2/13, 7p @ Irving Plaza, Manhattan - )
A low-key salute to one of NYC’s most quietly influential radio stations, one still existent in (more or less) its original shape. 75 Years of WNYU tips its hat to the student-run enterprise that’s seen everyone from original rock and roll DJs, to early MTV VJs, to forever-young rave organizers (to, yes, Rick Rubin) helm its broadcast booth. Each era pushed its own musical envelope. Hence this salute features nothing but new artists: including Connecticut’s power-punky Ovlov, the lo-fi country drone of Oldstar (prolly my “pick to click”), Bklyn rap trio Wild East Radio, and Jersey alt-rockers, The Broken Vinyls. Happy birthday WNYU! (Thurs 2/13, 7:30p @ Le Poisson Rouge, Manhattan - $10)
One of the beauties of 75 Dollar Bill is its malleability, both in sound and line-up. Founded as a duo by guitarist Che Chen and percussionist Rick Brown, it's been known to inflate towards orchestra-size, while tapping into an expansive polyrhythm’n’drone sound that hints at everything from North Africa to “Venus in Furs.” In the tight confines of the anarchist bookstore, 75$B is likely to shrink back to duo, but may be up for playing new music Rick and Che are said to be working on. Also: the duo of drummer Corey Vogel & Y. Pereira. (Fri 2/14, 6p @ The P.I.T., W’burg - $10suggested)
Continuing Black Flamingo’s long good-bye (official last night: Saturday, March 1st) is DC’s Dreamcastmoe, who combines live performances (carried by a sing-songy croon that turns into relaxed raps) with DJ sets (think boogie-funk-R&B, but also lo-fi hip-hop and laid-back 4/4). That ability is a deeply under-appreciated skill. Too-slow-rising star meets the last hurrah! (Fri 2/14, 10:30p @ Black Flamingo, W’burg - $12-$17)
Three (right?) years in, Honey Bun and Lovie’s Soul Connection has become one of the city’s most vibing parties, with a great Black-, Brown- and femme-heavy crowd, and two of Bklyn’s finest selecting in a way that makes the throughline of Great Black Dance Music’s soul-disco-R&B-house-bass-continuum abundantly clear. Their Valentine's Day guest is the mighty Ash Lauryn, who’ll add techno to that mix. Highest Recommendation! (Fri 2/14, 10p @ Nowadays, Ridgewood - $10-$25)
Julia and Matteo present another Please Y.S., this one curated by the mighty Amirtha Kidambi. The vocalist/multi-instrumentalist will be joined by Maria Grand, herself a vocalist and tenor saxophonist. Guitarist Adam Turay (Narcotix/Nu Jazz) will be in a duo with multi-instrumentalist Kwami Winfield, and there’s a solo set by flutist/improviser Justine Lee Hooper, yet another talented-ass human who also plays in Las Mariquitas. (Sat 2/15, 7:30p @ RSVP for location, Crown Heights - $15-$20suggested)
Responsible for one of dancehall reggae’s all-timers, 1982’s “Bam Bam,” Sister Nancy never bothered following up that instant-smash because the track’s life kept expanding on its own. Which doesn't mean Nancy hasn’t also been steady-working the last 40 years, a constant presence and great value for live DJing in an original dancehall style. Some claim that Sister Nancy is for the grey-heads, but the kids all know and love her shit too. Which says a lot! (Sat 2/15, 8p @ Crown Hill Theater, Crown Heights - $20)
Excellent triple-bill of young local deep-house (ish) maestros. Malik Hendricks, who’s had great tracks of his own on such of-the-minute labels as Coloring Lessons, Darker than Wax, People of Earth and Eglo, seems like he’s returned to New York after a couple of years in Europe. John Silas has new music lined up on Love Injection. Young, Bronx-based Zigga Zao is kicking things off (on the early side). (Sat 2/15, 8p @ Jupiter Disco, Bushwick - $10-$15)
Paul Nickerson and the Dope Jams crew return to Public Records for their annual Dope Jams Valentine’s Ball with a loaded-ass line-up. Joining Nickerson in the Sound Room is Bring Dat Ass brother #1, Toribio. The Atrium will play host to one of Detroit’s finest producers/DJs of the moment, LADYMONIX and sound warrior Jenifa Mayanja. PR OGs, Tal and Francis Harris will make the upstairs pop. Saturday night audience warnings in full-effect, so maybe let amateur hour pass on by; but the music will pop, for sure. (Sat 2/15, 11p @ Public Records, Gowanus - $20-$30)
To coincide with Yoko Ono’s Wish Tree exhibition, the Armory is hosting a pair of interesting Ono tribute concerts. On Saturday night, the sample-centric electronic duo Matmos will perform Fresh Squeezed Grapefruit, a response to Ono’s 1964 piece “Grapefruit.” Then on Sunday, the vocalist Alicia Hall Moran “engages” Yoko’s magnificent 1981 track “Walking on Thin Ice,” and the poet/playwright Carl Hancock Rux collaborates with DJ Spooky and Indian classical multi-instrumentalist Kamal Sabri on interpretations of Ono’s spoken-word pieces. (Sat 2/15 & Sun 2/16, 8p @ Park Avenue Armory, Uptown - $$$)
Donuts are Forever, the annual tribute to Detroit’s legendary beatmaker J Dilla, now in its 19th installment, is a fundraiser for Building Beats, a music education and mentorship program. Headlined this year by DJ Reborn, and featuring classicnewwave, Brown Jewel, DJ Owell and DJ Pr3tty P, hosted by Building Beats’ DJ Synchro. (Sun 2/16, 5p @ Cafe Erzulie, Broadway & Myrtle - $30)
A waaaaaay-noisy double bill, as part of Union Pool’s great Free Tuesdays program. Detroit-based harbingers of chaos, Nate Young’s Wolf Eyes, are a three-decade-old magnet for the U.S. noise underground. They’re joined by a trio of veteran experimental distortionists, violinist Samara Lubeski, guitarist Bill Nace, and multi-instrumentalist David Watson, who is responsible for the excellent Striped Light experimental music series (last seen in Long Island City). (Tues 2/18, 7p @ Union Pool, W’burg - FREE)
MORE RECOMMENDED SHOWS:
Pedrito Martinez (Thurs 2/13, 7p @ The Adam Space, BAM, Downtown Bklyn - FREE) - masterful Cuban conguero in the rebranded BAM Cafe space
Kelly Lee Owens (Thurs 2/13, 10p @ Public Records, Gowanus - $35) - Welsh folk-pop-house producer/singer-songwriter on a rare visit to New York, makes great records.
Louie Vega: Elements Of Life + special guests (Thurs 2/13 - Sun 2/16, 8p & 10:30p @ Blue Note, Manhattan - ) - VDay with Moodyman is sold-out, but spendy tix still available for all other sets of Master at Work Vega’s incredible live soul-jazz-house band (and the other guests are also a dope who’s who).
Marcellus Hall (Fri 2/14, 6p @ Mercury Lounge, Manhattan - $15) - the musical return of the former Railroad Jerk singer-turned urban blues punk’n’roll troubadour from a successful career as an illustrator.
Italomatic (Fri 2/14, 10p @ Earthly Delights, Ridgewood - $10-$15) - Andi, Facets and Rok One’s globally renowned italo-disco-meets-EBM-synths party moves to excellent new Ridgewood spot
Eli Escobar (Fri 2/14, 10p @ H0L0, Ridgewood - $25-$35) - Eli pulling an all-nighter at the in-the-round rave cave.
Homenaje a Román Díaz (Sat 2/15, 4p @ City Lore, Manhattan - FREE) - the closing event of City Lore Gallery’s magnificent little photo show, “Rumba Entre Puentes,” which traces three decades of NYC rumba through Juan Caballero’s photographs, is a performance by Cuban conguero Diaz’s ensemble.
The Love Hangover (Sat 2/15, 7p @ Berlin, Manhattan - $17) - on the 25th anniversary of this day-after-Valentine’s-Day annual concert of singer-songwriter duets, some rather incredible bookings, including Joan As Policewoman, John Wesley Harding, Jenny Toomey, and more.
Underground Rail Road to My Heart (Sat 2/15, 8p @ Ibeam, Gowanus - $20) - an evening of sounds inspired by Fred Ho, the late composer, writer, and activist, who was also bandleader of the Afro Asian Music Ensemble.
Greg Caz (Sat 2/15, 10p @ Our Wicked Lady, East W’burg - FREE) - one of the city’s excellent, long-serving DJ selectors playing as part of Our Wicked Lady’s Winter Madness. (Please consider supporting OWL which is currently struggling to stay open.)
Market Hotel 17th Anniversary (Sat 2/15, 11p @ Market Hotel, Broadway & Myrtle - $25-$30) - one of the longest serving DIY spaces in Bklyn is celebrating a birthday with a typically diverse line-up, veering from footwork to cacophonous rave-punk.
718 Sessions with Danny Krivit (Sun 2/16, 6p @ Good Room, Greenpoint - $25-$30) - the classic with one of NYC’s all-timer DJs.
Hot 8 Brass Band (Sun 2/16, 8p @ Le Poisson Rouge, Manhattan - $20-$30) - they’re a couple of weeks early for Mardi Gras, but they’re one of NOLA’s finest.
Nikara presents Black Wall Street (Tues 2/18, 9:30p @ Joe’s Pub, Manhattan - $24+minimum) - Bklyn-born and -bred vibraphonist (and Kenny Barron’s grad-daughter) leads a band that explores the borough’s hip-hop, jazz, neo-soul, Afro-Latino and -Caribbean rhythms.