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Saidah Blount/photo by Skye/courtesy of This Is Dope PR

Saidah Blount photo by Skye /courtesy of This Is Dope Agency

New Celebrate Brooklyn! Chief Sets Goals of Diversity and Inclusion

February 9, 2024 by Giulia Arlia

This past January, BRIC, an influential Downtown Brooklyn arts and media institution, announced the recruitment of Saidah Blount as the new Executive Director of BRIC’s... read article

The Vibe At ShapeShifter Lab-courtesy of ShapeShifer Lab

The Vibe at ShapeShifer Lab Photo courtesy of ShapeShifter Lab

ShapeShifter Lab Finds New Home, New Voices & New Opportunities

November 10, 2023 by Michela Arlia

Nestled between small shops and laundromats on Union Street in Park Slope, Brooklyn, sits the latest location of the performance space ShapeShifter Lab, a familiar... read article

Kings Theatre Marquee -Jason Isbell -HBL # 3

Kings Theatre Marquee photo courtesy of B.L.Howard Productions

Brooklyn’s Music Venue Scene is Ever Vibrant and Thriving

October 9, 2023 by Michela Arlia

Live music is one of the iconic symbols that makes New York City one that never sleeps. Brooklyn is home to many music gems that... read article

As the Weather Cools, Brooklyn’s Music Scene Stays Hot

September 6, 2023 by David K. Moseder

The days may be getting shorter in the months ahead, but there’s no shortage of great music to be found in Brooklyn. From top visiting... read article

BK Roads Top Story Featured Image Collage-07.08.23

The Best of Brooklyn: 2023 So Far

July 8, 2023 by David K. Moseder

As Brooklyn Roads looks forward to great musical summer – and beyond — we take a brief look back at some of what we’ve covered... read article

Phoebe Bridgers On Stage / © photo by Ellen Qbertaplaya

Phoebe Bridgers On Stage at Celebrate Brookyln! photo by Ellen Qbertplaya / courtesy of BRIC Arts Media

Carefully Curated: BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn’s Own Diane Eber

June 10, 2023 by Michela Arlia

As summer begins to kick off in Brooklyn, there is only one season-long outdoor Festival concert and performance series that highlights and celebrates musical talent... read article

Bruce Springsteen at Barclays Center In 2016 Photo by Debra L. Rothenberg

Brooklyn’s Live Music Scene Is Blossoming

April 2, 2023 by The Brooklyn Roads Team

Now that spring is upon us and the pandemic is behind us, Brooklyn’s music venues are rushing to make up for lost time. The most... read article

Celebrating Women’s History Month Through BK’s Female Music Scene

March 7, 2023 by Michela Arlia

As the month of March — Women’s History Month — gets underway, Brooklyn Roads celebrates some of the many ever-so-talented women who have graced the... read article

Charming Disaster photo by Krys Fox

Charming Disaster Brings Wilderness to the City

February 3, 2023 by Michela Arlia

Brooklyn-based musical duo Charming Disaster will be releasing their fifth studio album Super Natural History this coming March, following the successful release of their previous album,... read article

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

Neil Diamond: A Beautiful Noise Birthday Salute

January 23, 2023 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 the... 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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