Photos and Written by : Alexandrea Da Veiga

 As I ascended from the bustling first floor filled with the typically boring Center City Saturday crowd, the transition to the upstairs venue felt like stepping into an alternate universe. The loud, punk, hot, and queer space exuded an energy that was much closer to what I like, which is what my pre-show research lead me to expect from this band.

Thus Love, a queer post-punk band hailing from the woods of Brattleboro, Vermont, and one of the few good things to emerge from the Pandemic (the band was “forced” to their debut album, Memorial, during COVID-19) brought a taste of the 80’s to the second floor of Milkboy.

The show was kicked off with the electrifying performance of Philly-based Lahnah, followed by the raw intensity of New York punk rockers Native Sun. Thus Love opened with “On The Floor” which highlighted Lu Racine’s powerful drumming, followed by a special on-stage collaboration with the members of Native Sun for “House on the Hill”, an unreleased single coming out this November.

Within just a couple of songs, Thus Love succeeded in breaking down barriers, enticing people away from the edges and towards the stage. There was a decent amount of people hanging out in the periphery(Why? I do not understand, you paid to see this, get close to the action!). It was a testament to the band’s ability to forge a genuine connection with the audience and get the crowd going.

This was the final stop of a month-long, sixteen-show tour. Lead vocalist and guitarist, Echo Mars, candidly addressed the challenges of their rigorous touring schedule. Likening it to the monotonous existence of a “french feudal peasant” due to the repetitive drive-wait to play-perform-drive routine. The toll of the road was evident, with Lu Racine’s broken cymbal and Echo Mars’s weathered guitar held together with tape, Ally Juleen(bass) and (Guitar and Synth) seemed to have had some mercy on their gear.

Throughout “Get Stable”, “All Pleasure” and “Lost In Tranz” they struck a delicate balance, leaning into their genuine expression without turning into excessive theatricality that could overshadow their music.

To finish the night, “Centerfield” slowed things down and wrapped us in the new wave gloom and mesmerizing guitar tricks and magic that the audience, including me, loved and grooved to. “Put On Dog”, one of Thus Love’s most popular songs,  served as the perfect finale, the cherry on top of the loud, sweaty cake.

The turnout was respectable, but I am surprised that there were not more bodies in attendance. Thus Love is certainly a band not to miss next time they are in town. As the house lights came on and Echo Mars told us to go home it was clear that even after a long month up and down the East Coast, Thus Love left an enduring impression on the minds of everyone lucky enough to attend this performance.

Website丨Facebook 丨Instagram 丨YouTube 丨Spotify丨Apple Music 

Written by Angel Park

Milkboy Philadelphia is a live music venue, bar, and restaurant located amongst the hustle and bustle on Chestnut Street in Center City. The venue was opened in 2011 by co-owners Tommy Joyner and Jamie Lokoff and has since been the host to some locally and nationally recognized musicians.

Tommy has been involved in the music industry for over 20 years wearing many hats, including roles as a music producer, sound engineer, and even as a singer/guitarist in Pep Rally, his band. We had the chance to chat with him about the origins of Milkboy, its role in the Philadelphia music community, and precisely what Pep Rally’s latest single, “Turn the Radio Up” really means.

For Joyner, the concept of Milkboy began when he was barely a teenager, inspired by his early love of recording music. 

“The idea for Milkboy started as a recording studio,” He explains. “I’ve been interested in recording since I was 14 and started experimenting with track recorders around the same age. A few years later, I started recording my band and made tapes for us. And then other bands asked me to make tapes for them. I and some of the guys in my band ran it as a recording studio for years before we got into the venue side of things.”

Milkboy had a recording studio in Ardmore where various acts would come through the doors to record. The concept of utilizing its space as more than just a recording studio reared its head in 2006 after some talks with his business partner and co-founder, Jamie Lokoff.  

“In 2006, Jamie and I decided to open up a little coffee shop associated with Milkboy Recording (down the street), so we could start getting into the venue side of the business,” Joyner recalls. “We also learned we wanted to provide a stage for bands, widen our footprint in Philadelphia’s music scene, learn more about it, and meet more people. With what we do with recording, it was all about the studio and giving us better access to more musicians.”

Milkboy Studios added Milkboy Coffee until 2011 when Joyner and Lokoff decided to move it to Philly and convert it to a two-floor bar area with stage space, and it’s been that way ever since.

When it comes to getting talent through Milkboy’s doors, Joyner is no stranger to the process.

“We have relationships with different agents and bands locally and across the country,” Joyner explains. “We’ll have an agent reach out to us and say, ‘hey, we think you should book this band because they’re gonna be big in six months, etc.’ And from there, we decide if we can book the band within two months before the album comes out or after it comes out. We work out a deal that’s best for both parties.” 

But the real key to booking great shows -according to Joyner, it’s about your network. 

“When it comes to finding new talent, It’s all about relationships, loving music, liking people and the different music pathways out there,” Joyner says.

 “Philadelphia music is a broad category,” Joyner quips, “There’s not just one genre dominating the city. For example, Philadelphia has a large gospel scene, hip-hop, R&B, and urban scene. But it also has this niche folk and indie rock scene, which you hear a lot of on, on stations like WXPN, which has been very influential in cultivating all of that.”

 In addition to the variety of music available in Philadelphia, Joyner also credits the community for being incredibly welcoming. 

“I think that we’re in many ways, we’re blessed because there’s a lot of quality artists in Philly,” Joyner explains, “And we don’t judge each other in Philadelphia by the color of our skin or the church that we worship or any of that stuff, we really judge each other by the contents of our record collection. Generally, there’s something for every genre fan here, and people find their groups in Philadelphia.” 

When he’s not busy booking shows to running Milkboy’s recording studio, Joyner writes music along with his bandmates in the group Pep Rally. 

“Pep Rally was a musical project that was a long time coming and has been with me for ages,” He states, “I’ve worked with so many other people on their records and never got around to finishing my own stuff.” 

As far as the inspiration behind the name itself? It’s all about feeling.

Tommy explains, “The name Pep Rally is really more a way to describe a feeling. What we’re trying to do with the band is have it feel like a fun time, which is good to listen to. Pep Rally’s music is really about fun and happiness and love.” 

On the subject of the band’s single “Turn the Radio Up,” Tommy said, “The song’s inspiration is from an idea about what would happen if everything was possible. Like what would life be like if you could do anything? It’s about the feeling of freedom. What if you could just grab the wheel and live life till you’re gone without all these kinds of day-to-day worries and concerns that we all have and without worrying about other people and what they think of you? I think you’d turn the radio up and drive around the world.”

 In addition to the studio and Chestnut Street’s venue, there is Milkboy South Street, where they host Open Mic every Monday night. During the summer, you can also go to The Oval XP on the parkway and check out the Milkboy Beer Garden.  

As for what’s next for Milkboy and Pep Rally? “We’re building out our show calendar for the upcoming fall and winter for Milkboy, so there’s a ton going on with that. And There’s more Pep Rally music coming out for sure! We released a second single, “South Street,” and are releasing a Remix for “Turn the Radio Up” by Klubjumpers in a couple of weeks, following our full-length album. We’re hoping to have it all completed by October.”

Milkboy Philadephia

Pep Rally on Spotify

Milkboy the Studio

Milkboy South Street

The Oval XP

By: Brittany Rotondo

Photos by: James Foley Photography

Fresh off the heels of American Idol, singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Louis Knight (Pronounced Louie) releases “Twisted Conversations” and explores the navigation and promises of the infinite what-ifs of a young man’s life on the road and the way back home.

British born native, Louis Knight was the top seven finalists on the most recent season of American Idol and was dubbed “Best Breakout Artist” of 2020 by Main Line Today and has garnered attention not only across the country but more importantly here in Philadelphia. The current Narberth local’s popular stint on American Idol began with his audition as Luke Bryan was quoted to say; “I think you might be the biggest star we’ve had here on American Idol” following the performance of his original composition, “Change.” Katy Perry also professed, “he’s such a big star!” … And they were right.

Knight wasted no time getting back into the studio and eventually released “Twisted Conversations” earlier this month to an international audience, eagerly awaiting material from the young songwriter. This is Knight’s second single of 2020 and has already accumulated attention from resident news patriarchs: The Inquirer, Philadelphia Weekly, and The Philadelphia Tribune.

This past February he placed as one of the finalists to Milkboy’s Home Grown Open Mic series. During that same month, he had a weekly residency at Milkboy South St and joined their ranks. Knight declares very thoughtfully, “It was just so special to be a part of Milkboy with all the other rising talent in Philly. It gave me the opportunity to get my original music out there locally and really work on my performing skills, which I needed! Not to mention Tommy [Joyner] and Jamie [Lokoff], the owners of Milkboy, they’re truly great people, and it’s been awesome getting to know them!”

His life post American Idol has metamorphosed into creative downtime for the nineteen-year-old aspiring songster. “It’s definitely been a weird transition, but an amazing one. I didn’t have the time to focus on my music. It’s great to be getting back to it and seeing how my sound is maturing. I’ve grown so much, and I’m seeing the world through a little bit more of an adult lens. I’m so grateful.”

Looking toward the future, Knight explains his long-term goals with rigor and excitement, of which only a nineteen-year-old can expel. “At the moment, I’m focused on just honing my writing and recording new songs. I’m hoping to sign a record deal this year! There’s been a lot of time to re-evaluate. Some of my dreams are playing at Madison Square Garden and headlining at the Glastonbury Festival in England.” Lofty ambitions, but not unobtainable, even Knight’s father is a seasoned musician, passing the torch of melody unto his young son.

Across the globe, artists are now creating music currently in a social media-driven market due to COVID, even Knight teases upcoming tracks. Explains Louis, “All there really is to do is write and record right now… I’m working in my studio, Gradwell House Recordings, and planning to release a new song every 6-8 weeks!”

Knight is also a passionate advocate for suicide prevention awareness and penned his original, “Change” as a tribute to his friend he lost to his mental illness. The songwriter’s philanthropic efforts include partnering with The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention to help carry the message of hope to those that continue to suffer.

In parting, Knight has shown the maturity of an experienced, veteran musician, knowledgeable, eager, enduring, and shows a quiet simmering of soon to be ascendance across the boards. Louis ends our conversation with gratitude and a certain British charm alike to his family, friends, and fans:

“Thank you for believing in me, I’m so excited to really start this journey with you all.”

Official:  http://louisknightmusic.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/louisknightmusic

Instagram: http://instagram.com/louisknightmusic

Twitter: https://twitter.com/louisksmusic

Timeless means something is not affected by the passage of time; nor does it change in any form or fashion. It withstands obstacles and somehow in the midst of hard challenges, a glimmer of optimism appears, and suddenly, all hope is not lost. There’s a sense of power that kicks in and within that support comes a win over defeat. The cool thing about this defined meaning is that it could easily remind you of something or someone in its regards.

Supreem Da Rezarekta a.k.a. Jemal Carter represents this meaning well as he stands on his own platform in luminosity where nothing else stands as bright as his talent, sense of humor, and lyrical approach in the world of hip hop music. Carter’s stage presence is impactful and notably leaves a mark with each stage he damages. As soon as the music comes to a halt, so does Carter. Just like that, he diminishes in the wind leaving the crowd wanting more.

photo credit: Zamani Feelings

Carter has been slaying the microphone and mastering his craft for years. It is without a shadow of a doubt his one and only dream is to do it as a career. Most artists that work in the underground scene only go so far, but with Carter it’s different; it’s authentic, edgy, and raw. The train he chose to ride has such stability, grit, endurance, and strength.

Though he became popular in the underground scene, his skills took him a step further from where he planted his seeds. Eventually, he evolved and then the music did so as well. Carter made magic with numerously-talented producers, one of them being Dr. Shock who was not only a good friend of his but an important vessel musically. With them both together, there came a collaboration like no other, and the rest was history. However, the elevation didn’t become stagnant. If anything, it enhanced as Carter ventured out to search for other sounds. Though he and Shock stayed in contact and continued to make music, curiosity presented itself in a manner to see what else he can do musically with other minds from different perspectives.

From recording with many artists and touring the world constantly, Carter has catapulted from being not just a hip hop artist but a multitude of things. One of them is being a radio personality on two different radio broadcasts. You can catch him via Facebook Live on WBNCRadio.net on “Wayback Wednesdays” with DJ CL Smooth and his partner in crime, Mark Millz, from 9:00-11:00 pm. You can also catch Carter on Sunday nights on Toxicradio.net with Toxic Mike from 6:00-7:00 pm called “Funky Contradiction.” As you can see, hard work pays off and Carter is no stranger to putting in work. For that, he stands with the best of the best as he swings for the fences and makes his mark in each city he visits. Speaking of “Swing For The Fences,” it’s Carter’s new single, and just like anything else he creates, it’s fire!

I find Carter so fascinating because he wears many hats working from many different angles of the musical spectrum. The ability to adapt and re-transform is not something everyone has the power to do, but he did and still does to this day. In July of 2019, Carter a.k.a. Supreem Da Rezarekta won the Milkboy competition to earn a record deal with Milkboy Productions. The journey to this point was far from being a quick process as it took up to a year maybe a bit longer to fully complete. There were levels to this project but with each phase of the competition, stood a determined, focused, driven artist who refused to take no for an answer. Carter entered in with a purpose and ended in victory due to confidence and endurance. Every obstacle knocked down with the will to survive was Carter’s motto which made him inevitably powerful to take the winning prize home.

photo credit: Zamani Feelings

Once the quarantine ends, Carter has plans on having a single release party to celebrate the accomplishments he’s accumulated as well as do what he loves best and that’s to perform. Be on the lookout for the Concoction solo album and Supreem the New Experience album as well, coming soon. Carter also plans on returning to all live shows with the new experience band as a way of revisiting old roots of beautiful live music with musicians playing real instruments. Supreem and the New Experience consist of DJ CL Smooth and It’s Val, who is the drummer of the band.

Along with the upcoming projects mentioned, there’s a “Paid In Full” Tour on the rise that’s expected to take place once the country opens.

The power of music is a beautiful thing to witness when it’s done right. It’s unstoppable beyond words and emotionally moving when the truth and heart of it are involved. That’s what you get when you’re listening to real artists like Carter, you get the real, you get raw, you get honesty, and you get the man. With that said, mic dropped. Look out for the single and check out any and all things Supreem Da Rezarekta on social media platforms. L.L. Cool J said it best and I quote, “Don’t call it a comeback, I’ve been here for years.” He’s the immortal rebel himself, Carter, a.k.a. Supreem Da Rezarekta.

Connect with Supreem Da Rezarekta

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube

It’s been a long time since Frank Zappa asserted that jazz wasn’t dead, a thought which is thankfully still as true as it was then. Music is all about accepting and bringing all kinds of people together, and if there’s one milieu that arguably embodies the idea more than most, jazz is it. No doubt this is why it’s only grown during (and often because of) hard and uncertain times, from the last depression era through… whatever you want to call our bizarre state of affairs today. This sharing and community is just what we all need in a decade as strange as ever – and in a city with such deep ties to that most essentially American art form, our collective mug is always running over.

Of course the scene is vibrant all year long, but we’ve had a special excuse to celebrate ever since the National Museum of American History dedicated April as Jazz Appreciation Month, leading to all kinds of well-funded educational programs, performance series and public outreach activities to keep the tradition strong. More recently, UNESCO named April 30th as International Jazz Day (or #jazzday if you like to do the hashtag thing). In the six years since it was Kickstarted by local-boy-done-good Ernest Stuart, the Center City Jazz Fest has been a smashing and often sold-out success to mark the occasion each time around. The 2017 edition again offers one-ticket access to twenty acts spread among five downtown venues on Saturday the 29th.

If the genre makes you think of easy-swinging or hard-hitting horn sounds, the chance to catch well-honored figures (and hometown icons) Larry McKenna and Odean Pope might be worthwhile by itself. The younger R&B crowd may dig the soulful grooves of George “Spanky” McCurdy, pianist Eric Wortham II or crooner Shakera Jones instead – or they may have already unknowingly heard Matt Cappy’s trumpet (behind Lauryn Hill/Alicia Keys/the Roots) or Adison Evans’s sax (with Demi Lovato/Beyoncé) and enjoy hearing a little more. If you don’t want anything too easy to pigeonhole, there’s the eclectic post-bop of Josh Lawrence, the Brazilian six-piece Ensemble Novo or the unashamedly weird Puzzle Box to broaden those musical horizons a bit more.

The inevitable drawback is that it’s a lot to take in over one day. That’s why we’re also fortunate that the newly-formed Philadelphia Jazz Experience is instituting its first annual Philadelphia Jazz Festival to run over the preceding week from April 23rd onward. The PJE was created by Robert and Ben Bynum as “a new non-profit organization whose mission is to support local, national, and internationally recognized artists.” The first year’s run will benefit outfits like Big Brothers and Big Sisters, the North Broad Street Renaissance or Jazz Bridge (a non-profit that supports struggling musicians) as part of its charity element, in addition to including a range of community events, panels and meet-and-greets.

And that’s not even getting to the music. The schedule makes another smorgasbord of great performances with even more well-known local names – Randy Brecker, Joey DeFrancesco, Orrin Evans, Gerald Veasley or Lil John Roberts and many more – along with several open jams and tribute sets, ranging from Miles Davis and John Coltrane to Nina Simone and Ella Fitzgerald (who would have turned 100 this month). The festival’s shows throughout the week are individual events not covered by a single general pass, but each one means a great chance to get out of the house, meet some fellow members of the tribe and just try something fun and new for a night or two. It takes a special effort to outdo the wealth of music that’s always on offer every week here in Philly, but this festival promises to be Somethin’ Else.

What: Philadelphia Jazz Festival and Center City Jazz Fest
When: April 23-30
Where: Center City covers Franky Bradley’s (1320 Chancellor St), Chris’ Jazz Cafe (1421 Sansom St), Fergie’s Pub (1214 Sansom St), Milkboy (1100 Chestnut St) and Time (1315 Sansom St). The week’s other shows are, well, all over the place.
How much: Jazz Fest varies by show; Center City Fest is $20 in advance, $25 the day of.

photo by Nat Lanyon

Cub Sport is a indie pop band from Australia. The band consists of Tim Nelson, Zoe Davis, Sam Netterfield, and Dan Puusaari. You may have heard of them under their old name Cub Scouts which they were forced to change due to legal issues. I was given the opportunity to talk with the band about the name change, their new album, and their bright future.

While Cub Sport originated in Australia, the band has received worldwide attention. This is due to their universally pleasing music. They have been fortunate with radio support around the world which has given them opportunities to tour internationally.

Cub Sport’s music may consist of young members, but the music is wise beyond their years.  Their lyrics are raw, personal, and at times, even self-deprecating. Tim Nelson, the songwriter and lead vocalist of the band, talks about his experience writing for their new album, This is Our Vice, “I tried to be really honest with the lyrics for our album.” Although he says he still enjoys listening to the music, he explains, “it is a strange feeling being so open and knowing that people I’ve never met can have that insight into my life through our album.” This is the magic behind their music. 

Throughout the process of writing This is Our Vice, Nelson chose to concentrate on issues that were close to him. He didn’t write the album with one specific idea in mind, but by the end of the process, he came out with a one solid idea, “I was just trying to capture these weird early-twenties years in an honest way. I guess something I’d like people to get out of listening to the album is that it’s okay not to be okay all the time.” Nelson created songs that ended up being therapeutic for his listeners, and also helped him work through personal struggle.

He has been working on his craft as a songwriter for a while now. Along with the writing he does for Cub Sport, he has also collaborated famous song writing in the music industry such as Jim Irvin and Julian Emery. “It was an amazing experience working with writers who have written with some of my favorite artists including Lana Del Rey.” When I ask about specific ways in which these two songwriters have influenced Cub Sport, Nelson explains, “I feel like I’ve had a more thoughtful approach to melody after working with Jim so it has probably influenced Cub Sport indirectly.”

The band became Cub Sport after an incident in 2013 with Scouts Australia. “We received a legal letter from Scouts Australia saying that we couldn’t have the word ‘scout’ in our band name. We had a list of hundreds of new name options, but Cub Sport felt like the smoothest, most fitting name to switch to. We feel like the name Cub Sport still captures the youthful feel of the old name and we’re more than happy to leave behind the scouts association.”

Cub Sport is proud of their young spirits, but they should not be labeled as naive. These fairly young musicians have proven themselves and deserve to be taken seriously. Yet, of course, they will always feel connected to their fan’s, the Cubbies. The band connects with their fans through personal lyrics that target an age group similar to their own. They will continue to grow with their fans, yet under a slightly different name.

The band has been on their This Is Our Vice Tour since May. They have been touring Europe, and will be touring America starting with their show in Philadelphia on June 7th at Milkboy. After that, they will be touring the rest of North America, and ending their tour back in their homeland of Australia this August. Details can be found at their website cubsport.com.

Nelson says that he has even began writing for the next Cub Sport album. “I’ve been writing lots of songs and I feel like the second Cub Sport album is already coming together, so the rest of the year will hopefully hold some time in the studio!” This band is bursting with creativity. Even though they are currently touring, they are still making new music and they’re happy to do so.

Cub Sport is a great band which encompass the seriousness of young adult life. They express their frustration in songs that can be relatable to any age group. Cub Sport confronts life head on with brutal honesty, raw lyrics, and one saving grace that in their positivity towards life. Music has become their therapy, and they have became a saving grace to their Cubbies. “It’s okay not to be okay.”

Independent country folk band, The Novel Ideas, delivered quite the performance at Milkboy on Saturday night.

The Boston five-piece, comprised of Daniel Radin (guitar/vocals), Sarah Grella (vocals), Danny Hoshino (guitar/pedal steel/vocals), James Parkington (bass guitar/vocals), and Karl Grohmann (drums), headlined a show presented by Bandade- a newly formed non-profit organization dedicated to creating a community of musicians and fans alike in support of fighting cancer.

All photos by Lauren Rosier

The quintet opened their 50-minute set with the first track, “I’m Not Waiting,” off their latest release, St. Paul Sessions. The live performance of this song was otherworldly. Never have I been affected by a single song the way I was with this one. The combination of the song’s lyrics and Grella’s flawless, emotional voice led me to all-over goosebumps and trembling so strongly, I tried hide it.

Despite a small crowd, the Novel Ideas received tons of love and a stellar crowd response as a result of delivering a heartfelt and captivating performance.

The band showcased their perfectly melded harmonies on “Mountain” and “Montana,” a song about one of Radin’s ex-girlfriends (and she didn’t realize it was about her). Songs like “Back And Forth” showcased the vocals of Danny Hoshino and the band’s country folk blend more than any other songs.

Both tracks highlight the band’s beautiful vocals and harmonies, as well as their songwriting skills from their emotional, raw lyrics. The way in which they’re able to weave different genres together delivers a sound that is strictly The Novel Ideas.

Philadelphia seven-piece, the Chris Paterno Band, centered the night of music with a set of songs that tapped into a mix of folk, funk, and soul in tracks like “Pressure,” “Morning Light,” and their latest single, “Unfaithful.” Channeling the roots of American music, the band is able to pull together elements rock, soul, blues, and folk music into a sound that single-handedly stands on its own.

The band recently finished their debut EP and is focusing on several summer dates with a single release every month. For a band that only formed in 2015, and with this being only their third show together, the cohesiveness of their live performance was impressive. The grittiness of Paterno’s vocals paved the way for the band’s bluesy, folksy, and soulful sound.

The songs “represent us pretty well,” Chris Paterno admitted. “[‘Unfaithful’] is the cornerstone of the EP. It’s got the drive, it’s got raw emotion, and the horns are huge. I think every song has that theme throughout. We’ve got horns, and we’ve got passionate vocals, weird guitar stuff going on, but also there’s a song for everybody, we’ve got a really emotional song that we didn’t play with a lot of space. And then we got this cover that we took an artist and flipped it on its head. It sounds nothing like the artist, it’s an afro-pop tune, with autotune vocals that’s really, very out there.”

Multi-instrumentalist Brian Fitzy opened the show with a short, yet impressive four-song set that showcased his many musical talents, from electric violin, bassist, to beatbox extraordinaire. “Sooner Or Later” is a pop-friendly, singer/songwriter track that pulls you in, while “Why Isn’t” features his truly incredible beat boxing abilities over top of classic musicianship. You’re not quite sure what to expect as Fitzy performs, but he completely wows you with his truly impressive capabilities that he displays during his live performance.

This was definitely a show that featured some of the best, up and coming musical talent; not only in the folk genre, but across genre lines. American roots music hasn’t disappeared. It’s strong, it has grown, and continues to evolve.

You can’t live in or around Philadelphia without being at least vaguely aware of its place in music history. Jazz in particular is part of the city’s DNA just as much as cheese steaks, big colorful art murals and parallel parking in maddeningly narrow spaces. Philly was an old haunt of John Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie and Sun Ra, and has produced names from Billie Holiday and McCoy Tyner up to Ari Hoenig or Christian McBride. Studies have shown jazz to be even better than Mozart for developing a child’s brain with early exposure. Scientists agree that it can lower your cholesterol, ward off allergies and prevent annoying little leg cramps when you’re trying to sleep. I may or may not be making some of these up.

For a place with such a rich background, what better way to top off April’s national Jazz Appreciation Month than with a live (and lively) festival? Trombonist and Temple grad Ernest Stuart thought so back in 2012, and decided to get on Kickstarter and see how many fellow aficionados were willing to help. The result has remained a much-loved ongoing celebration every year since.

For adventurous listeners who want to chill or swing, Center City is the place to be out and about on Saturday the 30th.

The 2016 lineup features 20 homegrown acts across five downtown venues (the ticket gives admittance to all), all close enough together to let you stroll with your drink from one spot to the next. There are chances to take in the genre-spanning piano of Orrin Evans and the funky guitar fusion of Chrome Els, bop to Anibal Rojas’s worldly sax, enjoy a little solo harp from Brandee Younger or dance to soulful R&B with Killiam Shakespeare – or in the purest spirit of the genre, just pick a place to drop into with no idea what to expect. There’ll be something to enjoy for most tastes at some point somewhere. If anything, the most likely problem would be figuring out how to be in two or three places at once.

Where: Franky Bradley’s (1320 Chancellor St), U-Bahn Philly (1320 Sansom St), Fergie’s Pub (1214 Sansom St), Milkboy (1100 Chestnut St), Time (1315 Sansom St)
When: April 30 (Saturday); 1PM – 7PM
How much: $20 in advance, $25 the day of www.ccjazzfest.com

photos courtesy of Earshot Media

Take a step back and reflect on the past few years. A lot has probably happened in your life. Over the past eight years, I moved to the other side of the world, I traded my Motorola flip-phone for an iPhone, I stopped watching TV and started binge-watching shows on Netflix, Shazam ended my ever-lasting misery of never knowing who was singing “that cool song I heard at the bar”, and I somehow attended way, way too many shows. However, no matter how hard you try, you won’t be able to remember a Subways show happening anywhere near you in the US, and that’s because it simply hasn’t happened in eight years. Thankfully, the England-based band is going to take care of that. Come by MilkBoy next Wednesday to check “see The Subways live” out of your bucket list – and mine.

Charlotte Cooper, bass player, shares her excitement: “We’re so excited to be coming back,” she says. “It always feels like a huge adventure to us when we think of coming to play in the USA and Canada again. We loved the tours we played there in the past and it is great to visit some of the coolest cities in the world.”

With the tour about to start, Cooper has a hard time containing herself. After having worked so hard to make this tour happen (and putting a lot of attention and effort into packing, according to their Facebook page), and with their PledgeMusic campaign to fund it finally close to hitting 100%, there is nothing left to do than restlessly waiting for the first show. “We’ve worked hard to make this tour happen and it feels like it has been a very long time coming, so to actually play the first show is going to be incredible,” Cooper says. “There’s something awesome about a small, sweaty, intense rock show – it feels so exciting. It’s thrilling to play in front of our own crowd who know every word to every song.”

A new and exciting adventure to look forward to – and soon-to-be amazing memories for the band to cherish. Eager to see the world, and to meet new people, Cooper mentioned that for her, their biggest achievement is the amount of countries, towns, cities and festivals they’ve played.

Taking a second to think about all the parts of the world they got to explore, I couldn’t help but feel slightly jealous (and just to be clear, by slightly jealous, I definitely mean extremely jealous) “I have a big map in my house with the places we’ve been to marked on it,” says Cooper, “and I look at it and feel a huge sense of pride, but I also feel so lucky and grateful that music has brought me so much and taken me to so many different places.”

Hitting the roads of the United States and of Canada for almost a month, the Subways are making a stop in Philadelphia on April 13^th. This is your chance to get a glimpse of the band’s legendary discography and to sing along to the ageless “Rock & Roll Queen”, as well as listening to the their latest tunes. With their self-titled album and the release of an exclusive 12’’ LP to promote, the members of the Subways are excited to play new material. Self-producing the record for the first time, the band, without a doubt, saves a very special spot for the new material – both in their heart and in the setlist.

“Billy [Lunn, guitar & vocals] has always had an interest in production and had previously produced our demos as well as working with some local bands,” says Cooper when asked about self-releasing the album. “We were given the huge opportunity to work with three incredible producers for our first three albums: Ian Broudie, Butch Vig and Stephen Street. Billy observed how they worked, was present for much of the mixing process and learned all he could. For our fourth album it felt like the right time to take on the recording process without any outside influence. Personally, I loved this way of recording. Without the pressure of studio time constraints, I could spend as long as I wanted working on my individual parts. For Billy it was of course a very challenging process, but also a very rewarding one, and we’re so proud of what we created.”

A new album that feels like the beginning of a new chapter for the English trio: “I think it just made us realize that we can do a lot ourselves. With the help from our manager, Ben who has been with us since the start, we were able to release the album in the way we wanted. (…) Playing live has always been a huge aspect of what we do and it has been great to go to so many places and have a few great festival seasons along side this release.”

Tickets and info at http://www.milkboyphilly.com/event/1070177-subways-philadelphia/

It began with the sound check. Not hours before the show, but right then as the MilkBoy crowd watched. Each band member wandered onto the stage; Andy Frasco took his place at the keys and took off his cap to release a wild mane of hair. Guitarist “Wing Man” Shawn Eckels gave Frasco a fluff and a thumbs up. As the rest of the began to tinker and tune, Frasco warmed up with entertaining snippets of tin pan alley, blues, and rock.

Andy Frasco & The U.N. All photos by Dan Williams

Without notice, the band leaped into a frenetic first number, every member exuding the same manic showmanship, immediately grabbing the audience. Shortly into the set, they launched into the easily learned sing along “Stop F*****g Around.”

At instrumental breaks, it appeared Frasco would climb right out of his skin. During the first song, off came the boots, then the socks, and soon even the keyboard came off its stand as Frasco stood playing it over his knee.

The band from L.A. is known as a constantly touring force, but surprisingly, this was Frasco’s first time playing in Philadelphia. They earned immediate invitations to return, and return often.

About six tunes in, Frasco directed Eckels and saxophonist Ernie Chang to climb down into the audience for a musician’s battle. Frasco called out styles he wanted to hear improvised, including Metallica, Star Wars, and any number of diverse favorites. As the guys played in close quarters while being mobbed, Frasco continued his manic dancing and orchestration of each transition.

This was one crazy party with a band that is as tight and in sync as any I have ever seen. Their brand of energetic blues-rock with hints of disco and old school hip hop locked the audience in and never let them go. Each musician is at the top of their craft, and their harmonies resemble the good time stuff of Huey Lewis & The News … on gallons of Red Bull.

Opening the night was NYC import MH The Verb. This was not the usual opening act. They are a 5-piece built on positive rap, but quickly showed they are much more. Slick melodic harmonies introduced touches of soul and jazz. The players behind the keys, bass, and drums are all clearly trained in improvisation. They recently moved to Philly for a scene change. Local rapper Kuf Knotz was in the house and joined the band twice for some freestyle work. The crowd made it clear all were welcome.

Kuf Knotz happened to be in the house and took a turn on the mic.

The support act was local singer/songwriter Nicky P. His indie style harnessed a bluesy growl and endearing personality. There were times I thought I was listening to a young Jim Croce, and other times he reminded me of another local singer/songwriter, Jason Ager. Adding to his acoustic guitar was a terrific bass man and a wailing, shredding electric guitarist.

Nicky P

There may have been only a few similarities between these three acts, but together, they made for a heck of a music night in center city.