Articles

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

Brooklyn Music Is Alive and Well!

April 1, 2020 by David K. Moseder

When it comes delivering music to their fans, Brooklyn artists and venues don’t fool around. One after another they’re taking to social media to stage... read article

Mia Berrin of Pom Pom Squad / photo by Michael Todaro

Mia Berrin photo by Michael Todaro

Pom Pom Squad Brings the ’90s Sound Up to Date

March 23, 2020 by David K. Moseder

Pom Pom Squad’s new release, Ow, builds on the post-grunge, “quiet grrl” punk sound the Brooklyn band established with their first EP, Hate it Here.... read article

The Fu Mos Strike a Soulful Funky Chord in Brooklyn

March 23, 2020 by B.L. Howard

The Fu Mos, a horn-heavy funk, rock, soul and jazz band based in Brooklyn, played an impromptu show at Bar Chord in Ditmas Park on... read article

José James Takes To The Streets photo © by Janette Beckman / courtesy of Girlie Action Media

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

Tatiana Eva-Marie and The Avalon Jazz Band / ohoto by Kevin R. Mason

Tatiana Eva-Marie and The Avalon Jazz Band On Stage at Kingsborough photo by Kevin R, Mason

Tatiana Eva-Marie and the Avalon Jazz Band -A Musical Love Fest

February 27, 2020 by B.L. Howard

Valentine’s Day 2020 became a musical jazz love fest at On Stage at Kingsborough, thanks to Tatiana Eva-Marie and The Avalon Jazz Band‘s stunning performance.... read article

The Lone Bellow’s “Half Moon Light” Lights Up Brooklyn

February 12, 2020 by Howard B. Leibowitz / David K. Moseder

The Lone Bellow celebrated the official release of their fourth album, Half Moon Light, by performing an acoustic set at Rough Trade NYC in Williamsburg,... read article

Eight Brooklyn Artists Who Lit Up Our Radar In 2019

December 21, 2019 by David K. Moseder

Brooklyn Roads interviewed a variety of multi-talented artists this year. They come from diverse backgrounds and play their own unique brand of music. All of them... read article

Lora-Faye Åshuvud / photo by Kyra Kverno

In The Moment at The Sultan Room photo by Kyra Kverno

Arthur Moon Shines at Bushwick’s Sultan Room

December 16, 2019 by David K. Moseder

On December 3, 2019, Brooklyn Roads visited Bushwick’s newest music venues, The Sultan Room, to catch one of the most intriguing artists our borough has... read article

Pete Yorn On Stage At Warsaw photo by Will Oliver

Pete Yorn and Band Rock Out in Greenpoint

November 26, 2019 by B.L. Howard

The Pete Yorn faithful packed Greenpoint Brooklyn’s Warsaw concert venue on November 9, 2019, eager to hear this New Jersey native’s fiery brand of melodic... 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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