Features

Neil Diamond On Stage at Erasmus High School on 09.29.14 B.L.Howard Productions

Neil Diamond: A Beautiful Noise Birthday Salute

January 21, 2021 by David K. Moseder

Neil Diamond, whose birthday is on January 24th , received an early birthday present when the musical “Neil Diamond: A Beautiful Noise” , opened at... read article

pauline_Baruch_425_Photo by Joey Rosado-resized # 2

Pauline Jean photo by Joey Rosado

Back on Our Radar: New Music From Old Favorites

January 13, 2021 by David K. Moseder

“Should auld acquaintance be forgot?” Not at Brooklyn Roads. We’re starting 2021 by checking in with some local artists we have featured over the years... read article

Fisty Gathering photo by Blair Hopkins

Fisty Adds Bluesy Punch to Brooklyn’s Rock Scene

November 17, 2020 by Michela Arlia

Chantal, Rebecca, Heidi, and Lola are the front women for the band Fisty, formed in Brooklyn in 2008. Guitarist Heidi calls their sound “alternative, feminist,... read article

JLH press pic- photo by Rob Carter-courtesy of Devious Planet

Jane Lee Hooker -Garage Rockers Or....? photo by Rob Carter / courtesy of Devious Planet Media

Jane Lee Hooker: Bluesy, Rocking, Soulful Storytelling

October 5, 2020 by Michela Arlia

Established in 2013, Jane Lee Hooker is a rock and roll band fused with blues and what they describe as “vintage swagger.” The group’s front... read article

Gangstagrass photo by Melodie Yvonne

Brooklyn Americana Music Festival Goes Virtual

September 3, 2020 by David K. Moseder

The Brooklyn Americana Music Festival (BKAMF) is alive and well! This year’s edition, however, takes to the digital stage with performances by 60 artists in... read article

Jalopy Theatre's Front Window photo courtesy of B. L., Howard Productions

Community of Artists Drives Jalopy Theatre’s Success

June 9, 2020 by David K. Moseder

Established in 2006, The Jalopy Theatre and School of Music is the brainchild of Geoff Wiley. His wife and business partner, Lynette Wiley, tells Brooklyn... read article

Celebrate Brooklyn-061411-The Decemberists-Al Pereira (34)

The Decemberists Dive In To Celebrate Brooklyn! photo by Al Pereira

The Photo Pit Finds a Familiar Home at Celebrate Brooklyn!

May 21, 2020 by Al Pereira

Brooklyn Roads’ Contributing Photographer Al Pereira shares some thoughts and masterful images from Celebrate Brooklyn! With summer fast approaching and the stay-indoors order continuing to... read article

Bill Withers at Rehearsal/ photo by Al Pereira

Bill Withers at the Rehearsal for "Lean On Him-The Music of Bill Withers" photo by Al Pereira

‘Sunshine’ at Night: A Brooklyn Celebration of Bill Withers

April 7, 2020 by The Brooklyn Roads Team

The Bill Withers Project at Celebrate Brooklyn! Brooklyn Roads Publisher B.L.Howard Shares His Chance Meeting With Bill Withers In the summer of 2008,... read article

Rainbow Blonde Records-A New Beginning for José James

March 2, 2020 by David K. Moseder

Brooklyn jazz artist José James has always admired artists who control their own music, such as Ray Charles and Jay-Z. So when he got the... read article

Fantatstic Negrito at Afropunk 2018 photo by Kyra Kverno

AFROPUNK-SHAPING UP AS BEST ONE YET!

July 28, 2019 by Mandy Pichler

Get ready, Brooklyn! AFROPUNK Brooklyn 2019 is almost here and Brooklyn Roads is counting down the days to this year’s global celebration of music, culture... read article

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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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