Bklyn Sounds 6/5/2025—6/10/2025
This week's events include Grace Jones & Janelle Monáe / Las Mariquitas / 'Sweet Kicks' in the park / MANAS + guests / 'Public Service' in the park / Quantic / Vision Festival / and much more
The Friday before Memorial Day, John Pugh (a.k.a. DJ Undisclosed Locations, the keeper of the In-ter-comm, monk at the Center for Psychic Technology) joined me on The Lot Radio show.
Where I played new selections from the likes of Ben LaMar Gay, Purelink and Sault, Pugh went into his crate (literally, he brings his records in one) and pulled out some great left-field bangers from African Head Charge, keiyaA and Mark Ernestus. (We both brought Sweater on Polo’s new EP, and he rocked my favorite cut from it.) Full playlist in the comments on Soundcloud page.
THIS WEEK’S SHOWS:
One great thing about L&SD’s Thursday Present Sounds weekly is the many directions its programming can take, proving the maxim that anyone with a point of view and half-way decent music collection can sculpt a great DJ set. Matt Werth, who runs the indispensable RVNG Intl label, among other musicking activities, and NO R3VERS3, a new project helmed by the mighty Thomas Bullock (a.k.a. Tom of England, ½ of Rub-N-Tug, Tonka Soundsystem, etc.), are your deep listening pilots this evening. Highest Recommendation. (Thurs 6/5, 7p @ Light & Sound Design, Greenpoint - $20-$30/RSVP)
British country-soul crooner Yola has spent the last couple of years concentrating on her acting career, playing Sister Rosetta Tharpe in Baz Luhrman’s Elvis pic and making her Broadway debut in Hadestown. Yola’s return to recording — a new EP called My Way — finds her melding that roots-soul energy to a dance-floor vibe, with the occasional great results (Thurs 6/5, 8p @ Webster Hall, Manhattan - $$$)
“TAKAAT (pronounced tuh-cot), meaning ‘noise’ in the Tuareg language Tamashek, is the trio of Ahmoudou Madassane, Mikey Coltun, and Souleymane Ibrahim, the rhythm section of Mdou Moctar. TAKAAT is sonic chaos, improvisation, freedom of exploration, and the punk styles of bands such as Fugazi and Unwound, all mixed together with the guitar music from the Sahel.” With Masami Tomihisa and Aswan Dam. (Thurs 6/5, 8p @ TV Eye, Ridgewood - $20)
As always, the final three nights of Vision Festival are jammed with heroes and legends of creative musics past, as well as a few of their finest progeny. Some recommendations: On Thursday, tenor saxophonist Ivo Perelman and pianist Matthew Shipp lead a string section consisting of Matt Maneri and William Parker, while guitarist Mary Halvorson's "Canis Major" quartet consists of trumpeter Dave Adewumi, bassist Henry Fraser and drummer Tomas Fujiwara. Friday sees performances of percussionist Val Jeanty’s multi-media Shamanic Principles, and saxophonist David Murray’s new suite, "Birdly Serenade." And Saturday includes a solo set by pianist Marilyn Crispell, vocalist/imagineer Fay Victor’s Tree Trini Collective (including steelpan player Lyndon Achee), and Mr. William Parker leading the large Healing Message From Time & Space band. (Thurs 6/5 - Sat 6/7, 6:30p @ Roulette, Downtown Bklyn - $$$)
A potentially fun, all-night-long B2B pairing: DJ/producers Daniel Avery and Richard Fearless embody some of the best moments in British dance music’s ‘90s crossovers, including Avery’s attendance at the birth of big beat at the Heavenly Social and the indie-rock-meets-rave power of Fearless’s Death in Vegas. Over the past couple of years, they’ve been producing Goo, an anything-goes night of DJing that encompasses their more punishing rhythm interests beside the beatless, heady ones. This is Goo’s NYC debut. Also: deep creep playing a solo marathon in the Bad Room. (Fri 6/6, 10p @ Good Room, Greenpoint - $30)
The Abrons Center celebrates the start of summer with the second edition of Sound, Sun, Pleasure, a whole-space takeover. The day includes open studios with the center’s visual arts fellows; workshops in visual, dance, and music production; and a pretty great free show in the Abrons outdoor amphitheater, curated by MIKE. Music includes sets by rapper/producer Quelle Chris, Brazilian singer-songwriter Alici, singer-producer duendita, plus DJing by Soul Connection doyenne Lovie, and Elise. (Sat 6/7, 11a @ Abrons Arts Center, Manhattan - FREE w/RSVP)
Sweet Kicks is the long-running, free public-space party thrown by two more DJs on the expansive roster of New York selectors breaking through globally: the mighty Rose Kourts and Miss Alicia. The gatherings are powered by Karlala Soundsystem, with the bonus that at Sweet Kicks Karl gets involved in the DJing too. The crew makes their seasonal return to the Vale’s manicured, venn diagramm lawns, just off Flatbush. If the sun is out, the green grass dance-party vibe they conjure is out of this world. Highest Recommendation. (Sat 6/7, 2p @ Vale of Cashmere, Prospect Park - FREE)
Zwei Null Zwei is a quartet of harDCore veterans—James Canty (Nation of Ulysses), Sohrab Habibion (SAVAK), Eli Janney (Girls vs Boys), and Geoff Sanoff (Edsel)—under the spell of motorik. Playing with Massachusetts indie-rock band Slant of Light, and psyche-minded Baltimore trio, Deep Essence. (Sat 6/7, 4p @ Mama Tried, Sunset Park - FREE/suggested donation)
Las Mariquitas is the city’s first and best-known (only?) queer and trans salsa band — and will thus be busy throughout Pride month. The group consists of numerous musicians whose other sonic practices regularly find them in dance-clubs and improvised music spaces, which is how I stumbled upon their work, but who unite to plug into salsa’s Puerto Rico-meets-New York liberation rhythms. Las Marquitas’ Pride “tour” begins on the river-side plaza on the south slide of the Battery Park marina. Bring your dancing shoes—and a friend. (Sat 6/7, 6:30p @ Esplanade Plaza, Battery Park City, Manhattan - FREE)
A Brit who lived in Colombia, now runs Selva studio in Bushwick and having been surveying soulful groove music from all over the globe for over a quarter-century, Will Quantic is another DJ-producer-musicker uniquely qualified to pull off an all-nighter worth digging into. Which is what he’s doing Saturday night. Philly’s DJ Matpat (sometimes Clubby Boy) holds down the Bad Room on his own too. (Sat 6/7, 10p @ Good Room, Greenpoint - $22-$28)
The season’s first Public Service at Herbert Von King’s amphitheater, one of the two spots I think of as this great park jam’s spiritual home. (The Vale is the other…) Hopefully by now you know the drill: Mickey Perez and Toribio on the knobs and house-disco-Afro-Latin-but-anything-groovy-goes selections, Karlala on the sound, Mario taking pics, the best crowd smiling. As good as 2025 New York gets, in my opinion. Highest Recommendation! (Sun 6/8, 3p @ Herbert Von King Park, Bed-Stuy - FREE/suggested donation)
MANAS is the duo of Asheville-based, post-hardcore shredders, drummer Thom Nguyen and electric guitarist Tashi Dorji. Like many improvisers who straddle multiple communities, the pair create an enormous amount of diverse work. MANAS is where their propulsive punk-jazz tendencies are foregrounded, and a standing invitation for colleagues to join. Which is what the two nights at Trans-Pecos produced by FourOneOne are all about. On Sunday, the guest will be saxophonist/guitarist Zoh Ahmba, who knows a bit about sonic explosion; and opening sets will be provided by the Shara Lunon-fronted punk quartet Blasé and Luke Stewart/Trae Crudup’s volcanic Blacks' Myths. On Monday, MANAS makes its debut as a quintet, with Sanket Lama (vocalist of grindcore band, Chepang), second drummer Ember Vaughan-Lee, and bassist Monika Khot. The “harsh noise” openers will be Ka Baird & Qiujiang Levi Lu, and Bloodrot. (Sun 6/8 & Mon 6/9, 7:30p @ Trans-Pecos, Ridgewood - $15)
One of the undeniable highlights of this year’s more sprawling Blue Note Jazz Festival is a double-bill of two generational divas, queer icons, and musical conceptualists: Grace Jones & Janelle Monáe. Exceptionally luxurious performers as well. Do I really need to tell you anything about Grace and Janelle, or convince you why going to see this historic double-bill is one of the best live-music options of the summer, much less Monday? If you can afford it, run, don't walk. Highest recommendation! (Mon 6/9, 7p @ Lena Horne Bandshell, Celebrate Brooklyn, Prospect Park - $$$)
Locomotive is a double trio co-led by saxophonist David Leon and trumpeter Adam O’Farrill, with electric guitarists Tal Yahalom and Eli Greenhoe, as well as percussionists Daniel Prim and Murph Aucamp. Together, they explore a contemporary sound rooted in jazz and music from Cuba, Venezuela, and Brazil, at the crossroads of folkloric and experimental practices. Another ancient-to-the-future, free-your-ass-and-your-mind-will-follow music. (Tues 6/10, 7p @ Barbés, Park Slope - $20suggested)
Now Vs. Now is a long-running electronic-jazz-funk fusion trio commandeered by keyboardist and synth player Jason Lindner, whose rhythm-improvisation-ambiance crossovers fuel a lot of NYC sounds, and bassist Panagiotis Andreou. Now with Justin Tyson, who is Esperanza Spalding’s drummer. Bonus beats before-between-after by brother Toribio. (Tues 6/10, 10p @ Nublu, Manhattan - $20)
MORE RECOMMENDED EVENTS:
Ricardo Gallo Brings Together Musicians From Bogotá and NYC (Thur 6/5, 7p @ Giorno Poetry Systems, Manhattan - $20) - two sets led by Colombian pianist Gallo that gathers instrumentalists and improvisers from the music capitals, in a vibe inspired by the Bogotá community venue, Matik Matik.
FILM: “The Last Year of Darkness 午夜出走” (Thurs 6/5, 8:30p @ Maria Hernandez Park, Bushwick - FREE/RSVP) - Ridgewood’s great Union Docs screens this highly lauded 2023 documentary about the queer club underground community in Chengdu, China.
Paul Cornish (Thurs 6/5, 7p @ Ki Smith Gallery, Manhattan - $25) - a solo show by young Houston pianist who’s spent time in Joshua Redman and Mark Guiliana’s bands, and has recently been signed to Blue Note.
Underground Spiritual Game (Thur 6/5, 10p @ Barbés, Park Slope - $20suggested) - the Bklyn-based horn/electric bass/drums trio taking equal melodic inspiration from North Africa and the Middle East, while weaving in elements of afrobeat and free jazz.
Miles Davis Celebration: Festival Sextet II (Thur 6/5 - Sun 6/8, 7p, 9p & 10:30p @ Smoke, Uptown - $25-$$$) - the third week of Smoke’s commemoration of Davis’ 99th birthday (5/26) is an all-star group that includes trumpeter Nick Payton, tenor saxophonist Mark Turner, vibraphonist Joel Ross and drummer Marcus Gilmore.
Keith Shocklee (Fri 6/6, 7p @ Baker Falls, Manhattan - $$$) - a rare DJ set by a member of the legendary Bomb Squad, Public Enemy’s production crew (part of NY TechWeek).
isabel crespo pardo, Henry Fraser & Ricardo Gallo x Raven Chacon’s “Aviary” (Sat 6/7, 4p @ American Academy of Arts & Letters, Uptown - FREE w/RSVP) - vocalist iiisa, bassist Fraser and keyboardist Gallo play with and against the bird-sounds of Raven’s fabulous installation.
Life & Death: New York (Sat 6/7, 4p @ Knockdown Center, Maspeth - $33-$$$) - the Italian house label that has gone global, lands for its regular (annual?) sojourn, with day (outdoor) and night (indoor) programs of great local and global DJs. Main attraction: Moodyman.
Katzin (Sat 6/7, 6p @ The Wooden Cat, Ridgewood - $10) - the wonderful young singer-songwriter playing an acoustic set at a DIY yard space. (DM for address.)
Louie Vega & The Elements Of Life (Sat 6/7, 8p @ Sony Hall, Manhattan - $$$) - one of the Latin house kings (and still-working Masters) of New York City, brings his live band extravaganza to Times Square. (Also part of the Blue Note Jazz Festival.)
For Future’s Sake (Sat 6/7, 8p @ Jupiter Disco, Bushwick - FREE before 10p/$8-$15) - an all-night-long session with the Ukrainian-born, NYC-raised, professionally trained dancer-turned-DJ, now a clerk at A-1 and one of the great up’n’coming DJs in the city.
Exo-Tech (Sat 6/7, 8p @ Le Poisson Rouge, Manhattan - $22adv/$30) - a large ensemble led by Sophia Bous and Kimbra, exploring one intersection of improvisation and pop structure, with an always rotating cast (which on this night is like a Bklyn Sounds all-star team).
Purelink + Leech + Lamin Fofana (Sat 6/7, 9p @ secret location, NYC - $20-$25) - “ambient boy-band” sensation Purelink have an excellent new album dropping this week, Faith, and are celebrating with record release jam that also features music from one of the city’s best ambient-techno producers. (“Venue info will be emailed out the day before the event.”)
N/UM + Matias Jofre (Sat 6/7, 9p @ Bar Dada, Ridgewood - FREE w/RSVP) - N/UM is a trio of veteran studio musicians/producers who over the past half-decade turned into a powerhouse of live techno playing (and call Bar Dada home territory) - supported by an NYC tech-house DJ of some renown.
Punk Island (Sun 6/8, 11a @ Randall’s Island - FREE / All Ages) - a Sunday spent with 70+ local punk bands at an all-ages happening will always change your perspective on the world we live in - long may they run!
Love Injection + Danilo Plessow (MCDE) (Sun 6/8, 3p @ Public Records Nursery, Gowanus - $30) - Barbie and Paul return to their summer residency, at PR’s outdoor “yard,” accompanied by one of the excellent jazz-house producers in the world.
Maria Valencia, Ryan Sawyer, Matt Moran, Michael Foster, Brandon Lopez + Ghost Orchid (Sun 6/8, 6:30p @ Property Is Theft. W’burg - $20suggested NOTAFLOF) - massive quintet gathered to back the Venezuelan reeds player Valencia, who’s best-known as a member of the wonderful cumbianeros Meridian Brothers, but is also an excellent avant-garde composer in her own right. Ghost Orchid is a trio of flutist Laura Cocks, bassist Kenneth Jimenez and cellist Rocìo Sanchez
Jim Jarmusch & Jozef Van Wissem (Mon 6/9 & Tues 6/10, 7:30p @ Le Poisson Rouge, Manhattan - $25-$35) - two nights of music with one of Downtown cinema’s foremost auteurs, and the Dutch composer and lute player who’s soundtracked a few of those films (winning an award at Cannes for his score to 2013’s Only Lovers Left Alive).
Purelink listening party is on Saturday :)