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A Pensive Aoife O'Donovan © photo by Omar Cruz / courtesy of Yeproc Music Group

Aoife O’Donovan’s “Age of Apathy” Inspires Empathy

December 23, 2022 by David K. Moseder

Aoife O’Donovan, who won a Grammy as a member of I’m With Her in 2019, is in contention for her first such award as a... read article

Brooklyn’s Past Music Culture Helped Shape Its Present and Future

September 21, 2022 by B.L. Howard

As we look ahead to the closing days of 2022, Brooklyn Roads Magazine will continue to shine its’ spotlight on local music artists, venues and... read article

The Best of Brooklyn: The Year So Far

August 5, 2022 by David K. Moseder

Thus far in 2022, Brooklyn Roads has continued its tradition of spotlighting local talent of various genres with interviews and album reviews, while also showing... read article

Sizzling Summer Sounds: The Return of Celebrate Brooklyn!

May 23, 2022 by David K. Moseder

The 44th annual Celebrate Brooklyn! summer concert series is set to kick off in Prospect Park on June 8. More than three dozen artists representing... read article

Beareather Reddy & The Brown Liquor Sounds

A Classic Blueswoman’s Tribute to Classic Blueswomen

February 1, 2022 by Michela Arlia

Beareather Reddy is a vocalist, actress, and producer, native to Sylvania, Georgia. With a B.A. in performance arts from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst... read article

Retrospective 2021 -Brooklyn Roads Magazine

RETROSPECTIVE: LIVE FROM BROOKLYN – IT’S 2021!

December 21, 2021 by David K. Moseder

The most significant development in Brooklyn this past year was the return of live, in-person performing. The annual Celebrate Brooklyn! music festival returned to Prospect... read article

Ellis Ludwog-Leone / photo by Steven Pisano

Ellis Ludwig-Leone On Stage at Celebrate Brookyln! -August 31, 2021 photo by Steven Pisano

Brooklyn’s San Fermin Is Enjoying a ‘Crazy, High-Stakes Ride’

November 11, 2021 by Michela Arlia

Composer, songwriter, and band leader for the group San Fermin, Ellis Ludwig-Leone has many accomplishments to his name, having worked with not just his band... read article

The Crowd at Club Quarantine -Celebrate Brooklyn!

The Club Quarantine Crowd at Celebrate Brooklyn! photo by Al Pereira

Club Quarantine Goes Viral At Celebrate Brooklyn!

September 24, 2021 by Al Pereira

When the pandemic hit last year, D-Nice decided to hit back. The humble DJ, known to his mom as Derrick Jones, dragged his I-Tunes collection... read article

Looking Back As W Look Ahead -Top Story-July 2021

Looking Back As We Look Ahead Photos by Kat Minogue, Dennis Manuel, Lissy Elle Laricchia and Jaye Sant

Looking Back as We Look Ahead

July 21, 2021 by David K. Moseder

As we look forward to the reopening of live music venues and event, Brooklyn Roads looks back at the “Artists On Our Radar” (AOOR) that... read article

Strummin' In The Yard photo by Ehud Lazin / courtesy of Sideways-Media

Annie Keating Finds Her ‘Emotional Place’ in Brooklyn

May 30, 2021 by David K. Moseder

Annie Keating’s music is, in her own words, “soulful, intimate and honest; a little bit country and a little bit rock and roll.” Always a... 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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