Articles

Willie Nile Interview with BKRoads.net

September 14, 2015 by B.L. Howard

BKRoads.net talks to Willie Nile before performing at Rough Trade NYC.

Willie Nile Digs the Brooklyn Scene, Rough Trade…and a Slice of “Pie”

September 14, 2015 by Howard B. Leibowitz

Willie Nile has been one of rock-and-roll music’s best kept secrets for more than three decades. This iconic and talented steward of power guitar chords... read article

SoHo Kings Reign as Masters Of Melodic Hip-Hop-Pop

September 14, 2015 by David K. Moseder

We at Brooklyn Roads hate to admit it, but sometimes we owe a debt to one of the other boroughs. Producer/singer Bryce Alvord of Crown... read article

Summer In Brooklyn – Warm Nights and Hot Sounds

August 11, 2015 by B.L. Howard

To paraphrase Brooklyn native Walt Whitman, we began the summer in a bellow to our fellow Brooklynites. To many of us, that term may have... read article

Queen of Funk Chaka Khan’s Live Performance Dazzles Celebrate Brooklyn!

August 11, 2015 by Dominique M. Carson

BRIC, a non-profit arts and media organization, opened its 37th Celebrate Brooklyn! concert series with R&B icon Chaka Khan. Both Brooklyn natives and those from... read article

Public School 190 Intrigues Students and Staff With “The Lion Queen” Play

August 11, 2015 by Dominique M. Carson

Everyone knows that school or even working at an academic institution can be strenuous at times due to lesson plans, teaching students eight hours a... read article

Brooklyn Music Milestones – August 2015

August 10, 2015 by David K. Moseder

August 14, 1966: Little Anthony & The Imperials, with Fort Greene native Jerome Anthony Gourdine on lead vocals, headlines a concert at the Surf ’n’... read article

Brooklyn Voices – August 2015

August 10, 2015 by David K. Moseder

Skyzoo, Torae, and the Pitch Blak Brass Band are among the local artists who represented our fair borough at the 11th annual Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival... read article

Lesley’s Gore Is Gone — and We’ll Cry If We Want To

May 16, 2015 by David K. Moseder

For many boomers, Brooklyn-born, Lesley Gore, who passed away on February 16 at the too-young age of 68, holds a firm place in the soundtrack... read article

Brooklyn Voices – March 2015

May 16, 2015 by David K. Moseder

Congratulations to Brooklyn’s newest Grammy Award winners: Angelique Kidjo (Best World Music Album, Eve) and St. Vincent (Best Alternative Music Album, St. Vincent)… The latter... 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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