Articles

Tom Hamilton and Scott Metzger © photo by Mandy Pichler

JRAD : ‘The Show Must Go On!’

August 4, 2019 by Mandy Pichler

Joe Russo’s Almost Dead kept on truckin’, playing their 200th concert at the Lake Champlain Maritime Festival in Burlington, VT on July 28th, 2019. But... 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

The Photo Pit -Captures From The 2019 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival

July 24, 2019 by Kyra Kverno

Editor’s Note: Brooklyn Roads Magazine’s Contributing Photogapher Kyra Kverno shares her thoughts and some magical images of the 2019 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival... read article

Bobtown’s “Sun” Shines Like a Diamond

July 19, 2019 by David K. Moseder

Bobtown, the Brooklyn band known for their fresh, distinctively offbeat approach to Americana, will officially release their fourth album, Chasing the Sun, on July 26th. Brooklyn Roads was... read article

Brooklyn’s July Music Scene Is Hot, Hot, Hot!

June 29, 2019 by David K. Moseder

From Williamsburg to Prospect Park to Coney Island, and points in between, July is filled with musical fireworks covering a wealth of genres, with Brooklyn-based... read article

A Pensive M.West Photo by William A. Loeb

M. West Is Heading in the Right Direction With New EP

June 22, 2019 by David K. Moseder

“Just plain rock and roll” is how M. West describes the music he plays, although he acknowledges that “punk-pop is the subgenre my work is... read article

Matt Berninger -Into The Crowd photo by Kyra Kverno

The National and Courtney Barnett Celebrate Brooklyn! Once More

June 14, 2019 by B.L. Howard

The National last appeared at the Prospect Park Bandshell back on July 27, 2010, while Courtney Barnett played there on July 25, 2018. Both of... read article

Different Drummer Book Cover photo by Vinnie Corbo / Volossal Publishing

Different Drummer: The Journey from Page to Stage

June 12, 2019 by Catherine Gigante-Brown

It started out as a college project and haunted me for more than 20 years. The story of a singing, female drummer in 1979 Brooklyn... read article

Patti LaBelle-CB!-06.04.19 / photo by David Andrako

Patti LaBelle Celebrates Brooklyn! photo by David Andrako

Godmother of Soul Patti LaBelle Sparks at Celebrate Brooklyn!

June 11, 2019 by Dominique M. Carson

On a cool and breezy Tuesday (June 4), BRIC, the leading presenter of free cultural programming in Brooklyn, launched its 41st season of Celebrate Brooklyn!... read article

I'm With Her - photo 2015 by Howard B. Leibowitz_B.L.Howard Productions

Summer Music Sampler: A Batch of Brooklyn’s Best

June 11, 2019 by David K. Moseder

Temperatures are finally starting to rise and Brooklyn’s music scene is hotter than ever. As spring gives way to summer, the borough’s many music venues... 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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