Recent Coverage
OSHEAGA 2025: What We’re Looking Forward To
New York State Music, July 29,2025
By Aidan Lukomnik
Canada’s largest music and arts festival is back for its 18th year! The Montreal-based multi-genre music festival Osheaga starts on Friday (August 1st) and runs the entire weekend...With over 80 artists, five stages, and after parties in clubs around the city, there’s a little something for everyone at the festival...We’ll be heading up to our neighbors to the north to cover each day of the music and arts festival.
Trombone Shorty Brings Explosive New Orleans Jazz to Pier 17
New York State Music, July 26,2025
By Aidan Lukomnik & Grace Kim, Photo Credit Aidan Lukomnik & Grace Kim
Ever heard an artist hold a note for over three minutes? On a trumpet? While circular breathing? Just because they could? Well, that’s exactly what Trombone Shorty did while dazzling the crowd at the Rooftop of Pier 17 on Wednesday, July 23.
Brazilian Artists Takeover Lincoln Center for Brazil Week
New York State Music, July 20,2025
By Aidan Lukomnik, Photo Credit Aidan Lukomnik
On Friday, July 18, Brazilian artists Melly, Tulipa Ruiz, and Rashid took over Summer for the City’s Main Stage for a night of music from across the South American musical powerhouse.
Wayna Bares Soul in Celebration of Fourth LP at David Rubenstein Atrium
New York State Music, July 14,2025
By Aidan Lukomnik, Photo Credit Aidan Lukomnik
Throughout the night, it became clear that more than anything, Wayna is a storyteller. Stories of her history, of struggle, of her heritage, and of triumph, merged with broader stories of race and immigration throughout the United States. Wayna could be as comfortable on stage at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe as in a stadium – telling stories in different mediums. These narratives are backed up by Wayna’s beautiful vocals and a fantastic band that shifts musical styles as needed to express the story’s intent.
Robert Glasper and Alain Pérez Headline Summer For The City’s Opening Night
New York State Music, June 14,2025
By Aidan Lukomnik, Photo Credit Aidan Lukomnik
Lincoln Center’s Summer For The City kicked off on June 11th with a mashup of cultures and music. Robert Glasper and Alain Pérez headlined the opening night at Damrosch Park, while a silent disco bumped in Lincoln Center’s Main courtyard, with at least three other concerts earlier in the day...
Astropical Hit SummerStage with New Brand of Colombian-Venezuelan music
New York State Music, June 4,2025
By Aidan Lukomnik, Photo Credit Aidan Lukomnik
Supergroup Astropical dazzled a sold-out, standing-room-only crowd at SummerStage’s Rumsey Playfield on Sunday, June 1st. The band brought a new wave of Venezuelan-Colombian fusion that kept the audience dancing all night long.
Patrice Roberts Brings Worldwide Soca to Summerstage
New York State Music, May 20,2025
By Aidan Lukomnik, Photo Credit Aidan Lukomnik
On Saturday night, despite the opening band being delayed more than an hour, Patrice Roberts put on a constantly energetic, dance-filled two-hour performance. Shouting out every island in the Caribbean and New York’s hometown fans, the singer did more than just give lip service to the diversity of Soca. Unlike most headliners, Roberts shared her time with artists from around the Caribbean – including Anika Berry, Full Blown, and Trilla-G...
Bab L’ Bluz Brings Moroccan Psychedelic Blues to Joe’s Pub
New York State Music, April 22,2025
By Aidan Lukomnik, Photo Credit Aidan Lukomnik
Formed in Marrakesh, Morocco in 2018, the band calls its music Psychedelic Blues. By taking hard rock riffs and multi-minute distorted solos the likes of AC/DC or Pink Floyd, and combining them with traditional Moroccan folk tradition and instruments, and then fusing that with broader North African musical influence Bab L’ Bluz’s songs push genres. Throughout their set, the band plays with the idea of what the Blues can be.
Cymande Celebrate Old School Funk on First US Tour in Over a Decade
New York State Music, February 16,2025
By Aidan Lukomnik, Photo Credit Aidan Lukomnik
You may not know Cymande by their name, but as one of the most sampled British bands of all time, you’ve heard their rhythms and melodies in songs from rap legends De La Soul, Wu-Tang Clan, The Fugees, and the Sugar Hill Gang and their songs featuring in Spike Lee’s Crooklyn, Dove, and 25th Hour. The band, featuring original members Patrick Paterson (guitarist) and Steve Scipio (bassist) wowed older record heads and young kids alike with their integration of classic tracks and celebration of their newest album Renascence.
Windows95man First U.S. Tour Takes No Rules Philosophy to Next Level
New York State Music, January 20, 2025
By Aidan Lukomnik, Photo Credit Aidan Lukomnik
“I’m European, and I play Eurodanceeee!” Windows95man yelled from Irving Plaza’s mainstage on Saturday, January 18. That’s exactly what the Finnish DJ and visual artists did while surrounded by 1990s nostalgia and early internet-age visual effects during his hour set.
Winter Jazz Fest Takes over New York City
New York State Music, January 12,2025
By Aidan Lukomnik, Photo Credit Aidan Lukomnik
Jazz stormed Manhattan on Friday, January 10, as 50 bands played across nine venues for Winter Jazz Fest’s Manhattan Marathon. With bands playing for more than eight hours in venues across the borough, it was an abundance of riches for any music lover. Friday’s concerts had every type of jazz imaginable, from traditional Parisian quartets to “Research Musicians” who created entirely new compositions dedicated to fungi of all kinds.
Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra Turns Holiday Standards on Their Head
New York State Music, December 21,2024
By Aidan Lukomnik, Photo Credit Aidan Lukomnik
That was the theme that prevailed throughout the show: you ain’t heard it this way before. Across an hour and a half of music, standard holiday compositions were eschewed for new ways to play, throwing each song into a new context and making the audience consider their perception of just what a holiday song sounds like.
Moon Hooch Brings Relentless Energy to Bowery Ballroom
New York State Music, December 10,2024
By Aidan Lukomnik, Photo Credit Aidan Lukomnik
If you want to rave to a collection of saxophones and woodwinds, then Moon Hooch is the band for you. Yes it’s weird, yes it’s wild, and yes it’s a fun show to dance to.
Moshing to Telescreens at Webster Hall
New York State Music, November 22,2024
By Aidan Lukomnik, Photo Credit Aidan Lukomnik
You want a rock concert? A mosh-pitting, floor-bouncing, head-yelling, crowd-surfing rock show? That’s exactly what Telescreens brought to Webster Hall on November 19. Hometown fans crowded the 1,500-person Grand Ballroom and for a few hours were swept up in the power of rock.
BONUS TRACKS: Brooklyn Folk Festival and Other Moments of Musical Joy
No Depression, November 15,2024
By Meredith Lawrence, Photo Credit Aidan Lukomnik
Last Friday evening in Saint Anne’s Church on opening night of the Brooklyn Folk Festival...
Sammy Rae and The Friends bring Heartfelt Joy and Community to Terminal 5
New York State Music, November 11,2024
By Aidan Lukomnik, Photo Credit Aidan Lukomnik
Sammy Rae & The Friends brought soulful vocals, upbeat rhythms, sweet horns, and a genre-crossing show to Terminal 5 on Friday, November 8. Most importantly, they brought heartfelt joy and community to a packed venue when it was so needed - less than a week after the most contentious election in recent history.
One of Brooklyn’s brighter folk stars is just 18
Brooklyn Magazine, November 15,2023
By Meredith Lawrence, Photo Credit Aidan Lukomnik
Nora Brown has already recorded four albums and a Tiny Desk session on an unlikely instrument for a teen: a banjo…