Choice Concerts
Aspiring guitar heroes may worship at the altar of flashy solos and chunky riffs, but all three of the bands on this bill place a premium on timbre. High On Fire, Torche, and Kylesa all play varying strains of heavy rock/metal, but they all overlap in how they shape the
Choice Concerts
With its close ties to bands like Pantera, Down, Crowbar, Soilent Green, etc, legendary New Orleans sludgecore outfit Eyehategod was largely responsible for putting its hometown on the metal map in the early '90s. At the time, the band's combination of Melvins-inspired sludge with doom metal, putrefied Sabbath riffs and
Choice Concerts
With a recorded legacy that spans almost 90 albums, it's pretty safe to argue that Frank Zappa's body of work now counts as a genre unto itself. The late bandleader/composer had such a distinct style and demanded such a high degree of skill from his musicians that bands that exist
CD Reviews
Leave it to Gorillaz mastermind Damon Albarn to pair soul legend Bobby Womack with Mos Def on a track where both vocalists sound as out of place as the stranded plastic debris that inspired this album. Of course, out of place is precisely what Albarn aims for, with every sound
Choice Concerts
It's something of a cruel irony that the intensive level of study it takes to master the sitar is all but lost on Western ears, most of which are accustomed to the instrument as the gentle, ever-present background drone of the Indian restaurant experience. Not that anyone should be faulted
Choice Concerts
Centered around the creative partnership of singer/songwriter Brian Bauers and guitarist Jaime Sturm, the WMDs also feature drummer Paul Amorese, a Rochester expat better known as the co-founder of Bacci. In this context, Amorese, a highly proficient player with a naturally jazzy style, gets in touch with his rock side
Choice Concerts
For a band that's proven so adept at deep funk grooves, Filthy Funk refuses to take the easy way out on its new album, "Eklectric," which is officially released at this show. If you were expecting a predictable facsimile of Filthy Funk's dense, highly danceable live sound, you're in
Choice Concerts
Originally the drummer for the classic 70's R&B outfit L.T.D. until he was called up to sing lead, Jeffrey Osborne had already put his baritone signature on a string of hits by the time he went solo in the early 80's. Much like, say, Lionel Richie, Osborne successfully navigated R&B's
Choice Concerts
Though the cello has been making memorable appearances in rock music for decades, it's still widely regarded in rock circles as a "special guest" support instrument. Cellist Alison Chesley, who plays under the name Helen Money, shatters that notion with her edgy solo act. Working with an array of effects
Choice Concerts
Often maligned - both fairly and unfairly - for its ultra-geeky themes and musical excess, progressive rock now exerts a profound influence on today's heavy bands, especially in post-hardcore circles. Fortunately, that influence has resulted in an ever-widening variety of modern permutations, so that even listeners who don't have much
Choice Concerts
At its peak of popularity, emo music was justifiably criticized for being too whiny. Strangely, though, its modern-day offshoot has almost the exact opposite character flaw. Where it was once fashionable to combine bright melodies with racing electric guitars and angst, acts like Never Shout Never ditch the electrics and
Choice Concerts
Local group Parotia's lull of reggae-influence grooves and chik-chick guitar washes over you like a gentle breeze. While some musicians revel in making people anxious, Parotia goes full-swing in the opposite direction, intending with every note to instill a sense of well being in the audience. While some in that
Music Articles
Since it was first coined about 30 years ago to describe a faster, grittier brand of punk exemplified by the likes of Bad Brains and Black Flag, the term "hardcore" has come to suggest an ever-widening range of music. As more and more bands progressed beyond the limiting, often dogmatically
Choice Concerts
When they're not busy backing honky-tonk bandleader Slim Forsythe, playing together in the punk-country band ATS, or appearing in various other Pittsburgh acts, Erin Snyder and Evan Knauer like to strip things down for a little no-frills duo action. As unpretentious as they come, Snyder and Knauer are keen on
Choice Concerts
Rochester boasts a rabid audience for organ music, so expect seats to be scarce for this special appearance by Ohio-based organist Todd Wilson, the first guest in a celebrity recital series sponsored by the Rochester Chapter of the American Guild of Organists, the Eastman School, WXXI, and three local churches
Choice Concerts
Known for their work as members of 10,000 Maniacs, John Lombardo and Mary Ramsey appear live (mostly) as a duo, a sharp contrast to their full-blown band recordings. On "Peace Bridge," their latest album under the name John & Mary and the Valkyries, Lombardo and Ramsey touch on the same
Choice Concerts
If you haven't kept up with the explosive changes going on in the world of classical music, pianist Zuzanna Szewczyk's final doctoral recital is the perfect place to catch up. Ten years after starting at Eastman, Szewczyk (pronounced chef-chick) performs there for the last time with a program that consists
Choice Concerts
For this week's installment, the Skaneateles Festival's directors, pianist Elinor Freer and cellist David Ying, present a series of "I Love New York" chamber concerts. And while the music of Broadway does indeed come to Brook Farm on Saturday evening, the crown jewel of the whole affair would be the
Choice Concerts
Despite its intimate charm, breathtaking ambience, neighborhood-y feel, and out-of-this-world homemade cakes and cookies, the Mez will unfortunately be closing its doors at the end of the month. So what better way to bid adieu to this very special venue than with a weekend's worth of free shows. Aside from
Choice Concerts
When all is said and done, singer/actor/comedian Jamie Foxx will probably be remembered most for his Oscar-winning portrayal of soul icon Ray Charles. In his own music career, however, Foxx has his sights set squarely on keeping up with today's R&B pack. Which, depending how you look at it,
