Articles

The Isley Brothers 061817-Al Pereira (19)

The Isley Brothers – A Father’s Day Gift Through Song

June 27, 2017 by Dominique M. Carson

On Sunday, June 18th, 2017, iconic R&B group The Isley Brothers, performed live at the Kings Theatre. For this one night, Brooklyn natives witnessed the... read article

Miguel at Northside Festival - MCCarren Park Main Stage photo by Ray Fontaine

Northside Festival Lights Up The Weekend!

June 27, 2017 by Ray Fontaine

From June 7th to June 11th, the northern Brooklyn streets were filled with over 100,000 festival goers, concert hopping throughout Williamsburg, Greenpoint and Bushwick in... read article

Gary U.S. Bonds — Still Great at 78 … With Brooklyn in the Mix!

June 15, 2017 by B.L. Howard

There must be a fountain of youth in Gary U.S. Bonds’ home, as this iconic and legendary rock ‘n’ roller keeps raising his musical bar, with... read article

Dougmore banjo-5275-photo by Lauren Desberg

Dougmore With His Banjo photo by Lauren Desberg

Digging Dougmore, From Brooklyn to the ‘Outerboros’

June 7, 2017 by David K. Moseder

“The bluegrass scene in Brooklyn has been in my family since I was a teenager,” innovative musician Dougmore tells Brooklyn Roads. “I’m always awestruck by... read article

Northside Festival McCarren Park Stage photo courtesy of B.L.Howard Productions

Brooklyn Basks in June Is “NY Music Month” Spotlight

June 1, 2017 by David K. Moseder

Music has always been at the core of New York culture. Indeed, the city’s iconic nickname, The Big Apple, was popularized by jazz musicians in... read article

The Roofer's Union photo by Sandy Honig

The Roofer’s Union Builds a Following in Brooklyn

May 14, 2017 by David K. Moseder

Like many bands coming out of Brooklyn these days, The Roofer’s Union plays genre-bending music that is hard to nail down. While their style falls... read article

A Grammy Winner Salutes a Jazz Legend at the Brooklyn Center

May 4, 2017 by Dominique M. Carson

The Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts’ 2016-2017 season has been a memorable one, filled with everything from international dance troupes to jazz greats to... read article

Garland Jeffreys photo by Howard B. Leibowitz/ B.L.Howard Productions

Brooklyn’s Spring Music Scene Is in Full Bloom

May 4, 2017 by David K. Moseder

Spring is finally in full flower – and so is Brooklyn’s ever-blossoming music scene. Our borough is fertile ground for cultivating new talent and May-June... read article

American Nomads Rock the House !

May 3, 2017 by Ray Fontaine

Greenpoint-based American Nomads threw a big bash at Drom in lower Manhattan to celebrate the release of Ghost Highway, their new album, to a packed... read article

Hot Tuna at Racoon Lodge Benefit for Guild for Exceptional Children photo by Al Pereira

A Searing Hot Tuna in Brooklyn!

May 3, 2017 by Al Pereira

The Long Good Friday is the title of a gritty, cultish mob noir film that could easily have doubled as the banner for a searing... 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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