BAM Launches Free Music Series

January 25, 2025 by David K. Moseder

Lia Camille Crockett/ courtesy of the producer

Live music returned to the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) this January with the launch of the BAM Free Music series on select Thursday evenings at the intimate Adam Space in the facility’s Peter J. Sharp building. Programmed by local music curator Lia Camille Crockett, former executive producer of BRIC’s Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival, the series – which embraces a wide range of genres and traditions — opened on January 9 with a well-received performance by neo-soul legend Bilal and DJ sets from Miss Hap.

Dave Guy /photo courtesy of Big Crown

Up next on the BAM Free Music calendar will be charismatic percussionist Pedrito Martinez, Feb. 13, and trumpeter Dave Guy – who has played with Brooklyn’s own Dap-Kings as well as The Roots, Al Green, Amy Winehouse and Pharrell – on Feb. 27. Former Brooklynite Angélica Garcia, an L.A.-based bilingual singer-songwriter, follows on March 20, sharing the bill with New York DJ Laura Se Fue.

Pedrito Martinez / photo by Danny Clinch

On April 24, Blk Odyssy (formerly Americana artist Juwan Elcock) shows off his new signature sound, influenced by the likes of D’Angelo, Kendrick Lamar and Funkadelic. Also on the bill will be Afrotech-jazz-R&B-soul artist Niara Sterling.

Botswana-born Brooklynite Lollise brings her songs – include selections from her recent debut LP, I hit the water – to The Adam Space on May 8. She teams up there with Brooklyn dance band Loboko. Rounding out the first half of 2025 on June 5 are Dominican singer-guitarist-percussionist Riccie Oriach and Bronx-born Dominican-American DJ Ultra Violet.

Other upcoming events at BAM include Word. Sound. Power, a celebration of hip-hop and spoken word curated by Brooklyn’s own Mikal Amin Lee, April 3-6, 2025, and the Sō Percussion concert series, May 7-10 and May 14-17, 2025.

Note: While there is no charge for the BAM Free Music series, admittance is on a first come, first-served basis; an RSVP does not guarantee entry.

Artists on our Radar

Eric Stern: Brooklyn Born, Jazz Driven

Eric Stern/photo by Hoyeon Choi/ courtesy of the artist

Brooklyn has long been home to innovative artists, and pianist-composer Eric Stern is no exception. Born and raised in the borough, Stern’s sound is a fusion of jazz, Latin, and classical influences shaped by his upbringing and New York City’s diverse musical landscape. Stern’s love for music began at home, where classical compositions played daily on WQXR alongside Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr. His exploration led him to jazz and salsa, drawn to artists like Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, and Miles Davis. His participation in Belongo’s Fat Cats program, a youth music initiative, deepened his passion for Afro-Latin music, exposing him to icons like Chico O’Farrill and Tito Puente. Though he played in school jazz bands and youth programs, it was at Fat Cats—rehearsing every Sunday at the former Fat Cat jazz club (now Cellar Dog)—that his passion crystallized. “It was sheer joy,” Stern recalls. The experience drove him to practice for hours daily, solidifying his decision to pursue music professionally. Stern studied at the University of Miami, where he formed a quartet with trumpet, piano, bass, and drums, performing across Miami until 2022. Adding saxophonist Dylan McHann that fall elevated the group into its current quintet form. Since returning to Brooklyn, the lineup has shifted, now featuring Chris Ferrari (tenor sax/flute), Joey Curreri (trumpet), Cookie Stephenson (bass), and Peru Eizagirre (drums), with Stern leading on piano and compositions. Brooklyn’s underground jazz scene remains central to Stern’s creative evolution. While Manhattan is home to institutions like the Village Vanguard and the Blue Note, he finds Brooklyn’s avant-garde spaces—Ornithology Jazz Club, Bar Bayeux, and ShapeShifter Lab more experimental and inspiring. At the heart of Stern’s music is a simple mission: joy. “That’s the only thing I really care about. If selling a million records and being super famous is able to do that, great. If not, I don’t really mind. I just want to give other people who listen and hear the music the same joy I have in playing and creating it.” Eric Stern is one to watch for those seeking a fresh, dynamic voice in Brooklyn’s jazz scene. “Why not perform in Brooklyn?” he says. “There are so many great spaces to play—why not make it happen?”

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