Articles

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

OK Cowgirl photo- courtesy of the artists -from Facebook

On A Stairwell photo courtesy of the Artists

Ok Cowgirl Wows the Brooklyn Rock Scene

July 31, 2024 by Giulia Arlia

Ok Cowgirl is an indie rock band based in Brooklyn, whose contagious energy empowers them from the recording studio to the stage. The band, formed... read article

Celebrate Brooklyn! , Afropunk Brooklyn and Kings Theatre Imagery

July 25, 2024 by B.L. Howard

Contributing Photographer Kyra Kverno shares some of her images from BRIC’s Celebrate Brooklyn! Afropunk Festivals and the Kings Theatre .

Lake Street Dive In The Moment / photo by Shervin Lainez

Lake Street Dive / photo by Shervin Lainez

Harmonies in Motion: Lake Street Dive’s Genre-Defying Journey in ‘Good Together'”

July 19, 2024 by Michela Arlia

Brooklyn-based band Lake Street Dive stands out in the contemporary music scene for their unique fusion of soul, pop, jazz, and rock elements. This continues... read article

Album Cover Art courtesy of the artist

All I Ever Wonder-A Soulful Musical Journey Through Life’s Highs and Lows

July 7, 2024 by Michela Arlia

Brooklyn-born singer, songwriter, producer, and engineer Johnny Burgos’ latest album, All I Ever Wonder, is a soulful exploration that seamlessly blends R&B, R&B, Hip Hop,... read article

American Nomads photo by Sarah Duval

AMERICAN NOMADS HAVE A WHOLE LOTTA NEW MUSIC IN THE WORKS

June 22, 2024 by David K. Moseder

Greenpoint-based American Nomads have 20 new songs “in various stages of recording, mixing and mastering,” in their Brooklyn recording studio, founding member Walter Kenul tells... read article

Dragon Knights Stilt Walkers Kyra Kverno

The Photo Pit-Festival International

June 18, 2024 by Kyra Kverno

Editor’s Note: Contributing Photographer Kyra Kverno shares some of her images and observations from 2024’s Festival International in Lafayette, Louisiana : Festival International is a... read article

Celebrate Brooklyn! Stage at the Lena Horne Bandshell BRIC Arts Media

Culture and Diversity: The 2024 BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival

June 2, 2024 by Michela Arlia

The much-anticipated BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival returns this June with a lineup that promises to deliver an eclectic mix of musical genres, cultural experiences, and... read article

Emery Major On the Stoop photo by Areon Mobasher

Emery Major Brings Colorado to Brooklyn!

May 8, 2024 by Giulia Arlia

Step inside the world of Colorado landscapes with Emery Major, who writes and performs music based in the folk, indie and pop genres. A Colorado... read article

« Previous 1 2 3 4 5 … 45 Next »

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?”

... read article