We Give Thanks for Brooklyn’s Bountiful Music Scene

Before you carve into that Thanksgiving turkey, take a little time this month to enjoy some piping hot pop tunes, a heaping helping of rock, a few forkfuls of folk  or a slice or two of world music and, for dessert, a taste of classic hip-hop. It’s all being served up right here in our fair borough.

Tony Danza /photo courtesy of the artist

Native son Tony Danza has cooked up a cabaret show called “Standards & Stories,” which is on the November music menu at Brooklyn College’s Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts. Along with showcasing his singing chops, the popular sitcom star is expected to show off his “boss” ukulele skills and break out into a tap dance or two. No word as to whether he will arrive at the venue via limo or take a … taxi.

There’s a cornucopia of musical performances by other local or Brooklyn-connected acts playing in our borough this month as well.  Among these are Rare Futures, who will introduce their new album, This Is Your Brain On Love, at Sunnyvale; rock-and-boogie power trio Bucky Hayes and the Commonwealth at Bar Chord; Wire Troop – led by Jay Sherman-Godfrey, who has played guitar with They Might Be Giants and runs Greenpoint-based Able Mobile Recording Lab – at Hank’s Saloon. Union Hall presents Wooing, led by former Supercute! lead singer Rachel Trachtenburg. Meanwhile, her ex-bandmate Julia Cumming’s current group, Sunflower Bean, who rocked the Williamsburg Music Hall last month, will play a November gig at Manhattan’s Webster Hall.

Wyclef Jean / photo by Seher Sikandar for Rehes Creative/ courtesy of Wikipedia

Fans of world music can catch the traditional Moroccan sounds of Brooklyn’s own Innov Gnawa at Barbés, while avante-garde New York vocalist-composer Meredith Monk teams with Ani Choying Drolma (“Nepal’s singing nun”) at National Sawdust.

For that serving of hip hop to complete your musical feast, Talib Kweli and  his full band will be at Brooklyn Bowl on November 9th and 10th for two shows , and  Wyclef Jean stops by on November 17th.

Ani DiFranco / photo by Shervin Lainez /courtesy of Autonomic Media

Top outside talent gracing Brooklyn’s music stages this month includes folk icon Ani DiFranco at Music Hall of Williamsburg  and the Indigo Girl’s Amy Ray performing with Academy of Country Music Award-winner Chely Wright at The Bell House. Want more country? Check out Keith Urban at the Barclays Center and Jaime Wyatt at Hill Country.

Brooklyn Roads hopes we’ve whetted your appetite and that you’re ready to dig into these or some of the other music dishes at our borough’s many fine clubs, halls and stages this month. Enjoy!