Articles

Garland Jeffreys At Steve Van Zandt's 500th Underground Garage Event / © photo by B.L.Howard

Garland Jeffreys at Steve Van Zandt's 500th Underground Garage Event on October 20, 2011 © photo by B.L.Howard

“The King Of In Between” Documentary

October 8, 2024 by David K. Moseder

The “rockumentary” film ,Garland Jeffreys: The King of In Between , is currently on the festival circuit, including international screenings in Tokyo and London, with more... read article

Brooklyn Americana Festival 2024/ photo by Noémie Trusty

Arriving at the 2024 Brooklyn Americana Music Festival photo by Noémie Trusty / courtesy of BAMF

10th Americana Fest Rates a “10”

September 25, 2024 by David K. Moseder

The 10th Brooklyn Americana Music Festival (BAMF), which ran Sept. 12 through 16, scored a “10” with us at Brooklyn Roads and with the enthusiastic... read article

KooL & The Gang /photo by Roger Ho / courtesy of C3 Presents

Kool & The Gang On Stage at Sea.Hear.Now 2024 photo by Roger Ho / courtesy of C3 Presents

An Inside View Of Sea.Hear.Now 2024!

September 21, 2024 by Monica V. Fuchs

Sea .Hear. Now is an annual music art and ocean sustainability festival held in mid September on and around the beach and boardwalk in Asbury... read article

Bruce Springsteen On Stage at Sea.Hear.Now photo by Kyra Kverno

Some Sea.Hear.Now !

September 20, 2024 by Kyra Kverno

Editor’s Note: Contributing Photogapher Kyra Kverno shares some images and observations from the 2024 Sea.Hear.Now Festival in Asbury Park, NJ : This was the Festival’s... read article

Janet Labelle With Guitar In Hand / photo by John Nyboer

Janet Labelle photo by John Nyboer

Janet LaBelle Takes the Spotlight: Blending Vintage Vibes with Modern Magic

September 17, 2024 by Michela Arlia

Dynamic Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter Janet LaBelle continues to push her creative boundaries. Known for her unique ability to fuse analog warmth with modern production, LaBelle has... read article

Erykah Badu -Second Night photo by Kyra Kverno

Afropunk Blktopia at Celebrate Brooklyn!

September 11, 2024 by Kyra Kverno

Editor’s Note: Contributing Photogapher Kyra Kverno shares some images and observations from the 2024 Afropunk Blktopia Festival at Celebrate Brookyln! : This year Afropunk 2024... read article

A Brooklyn Milestone: 10th Go-Round for Americana Festival

August 30, 2024 by David K. Moseder

The mostly free 10th annual Brooklyn Americana Music Festival (BAMF) is set for Sept. 12 through 15 at multiple venues in Dumbo and Red Hook,... read article

“Diorama” – Sam Rappaport’s Emotional Journey of Introspection

August 28, 2024 by Giulia Arlia

Brooklyn-based Sam Rappaport, raised in Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley, is known in the Brooklyn music scene for experimenting in different genres such as pop,... read article

Jazz Is Back at the 70th Newport Jazz Festival !

August 28, 2024 by Kyra Kverno

Editor’s Note: Contributing Photographer Kyra Kverno shares some of her images and observations from 2024’s Newport Jazz Festival in Rhode Island: The Newport Jazz Festival... read article

Afropunk Blktopia Debuts at BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn!

August 23, 2024 by Michela Arlia

Brooklyn is set to host an extraordinary celebration of Black creativity and culture as Afropunk Blktopia makes its highly anticipated debut at this year’s BRIC... 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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