Articles

A Musical Family Tree Grows in Brooklyn

October 6, 2012 by Howard B. Leibowitz

2012 marks the centennial of the birth of legendary American icon Woody Guthrie, who lived for some time in Coney Island. It just so happens... read article

Woody at 100 Concert at Brooklyn College/ © 2012/ photo by Howard B. Leibowitz

The Unbounded Glory of Woody Guthrie

October 6, 2012 by Howard B. Leibowitz

Brooklyn Roads was honored to have been at Brooklyn College‘s Walt Whitman Theater for the Woody Guthrie Centennial Concert in September. This incredible evening was... read article

Brooklyn Voices – November 2011

November 6, 2011 by David K. Moseder

Kudos to all those from Brooklyn’s music scene who made the list ofThe Village Voice’s “Best of NYC 2011,” including Geoff and Lynette Wiley’s Jalopy... read article

Brooklyn Music Milestones – November 2011

November 6, 2011 by David K. Moseder

Nov. 1-3, 2007: Backed alternately by an orchestra and a rock band, Kensington’s Sufjan Stevens performs The BQE at the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s Howard Gilman... read article

Yarn Puts a Brooklyn Spin On the Alt-Country Sound

November 6, 2011 by David K. Moseder

“I’ve been waiting so long for you to comfort me, but this boy has moved on,” sings Blake Christiana , bittersweetly, about his home town... read article

Joan Osborne’s Brooklyn Muse: A Challenge Well Met

November 6, 2011 by David K. Moseder

2011 was a busy year for Joan Osborne, beginning with Love and Hate, the multimedia music/dance/film production she created and performed as part of Lincoln Center’s... read article

Celebrating Brooklyn in Music

November 6, 2011 by Howard B. Leibowitz

As we approach the winter and move indoors, warm thoughts come to mind about this past summer’s outdoor music scene here in Brooklyn–now known in... read article

Brooklyn Voices – June 2011

June 6, 2011 by David K. Moseder

On his forthcoming release, The King of In Between, Sheepshead Bay’s Garland Jeffreys proudly flies the Brooklyn flag with tracks such as Coney Island Winterand... read article

Brooklyn Music Milestones – June 2011

June 6, 2011 by David K. Moseder

June 6. 1981: Neil Diamond’s America becomes the third top 10 single from his phenomenal album The Jazz Singer, which on this same date is... read article

Bright Days Ahead for Shenandoah and the Night

June 6, 2011 by David K. Moseder

What do bluegrass, jazz and burlesque all have in common? They’re all part of Shenandoah Ableman’s musical influences. Her band, Shenandoah and the Night, also... 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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