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Jamil Ragland |
Jul 9, 2025 7:00 am
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Houston Person, special guest of the Brian Charette Trio at Monday Night Jazz in Hartford.
Brian Charette Trio with Houston Person Paul Brown Monday Night Jazz Bushnell Park Hartford July 7, 2025
Hartford’s summer of jazz kicked off this year with Brian Charette and his trio, consisting of Charette himself on the piano, Saudi Zain on the bass and Darrell Smith on the drums. The performance included two special guests, Eddie Allen on the trumpet and Houston Person on saxophone. It was a night of legends on display, and they didn’t disappoint.
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Brian Slattery |
Jul 2, 2025 2:34 pm
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The Almighty Yellow Star
“The Grace,” from The Almighty Yellow Star’s eponymous debut album, begins with a flourish of lush sound that grows and fades away. Out of it emerges a stately guitar, steady yet unresolved. Kierstin Sieser’s sharp, insistent voice comes in strong.
“I am looking for a woman who’s not writhing in her weakness,” Sieser sings. She then unfolds lyrics full of imagery, a gavel to the guts, a line of men tied together by cord and led through town as an act of absolution; other people moving quietly through a dark, quiet garden. “Oh the grace, oh the grace, oh the grace,” she chants.
Three of Syla Alexandria Artis Branch's five children: Linda Branch, Paulette Branch, and Frances Branch-Walker.
On the altar were pages of handwritten sheet music, a bible, a heartfelt card, and a homemade CD.
After 16 years, “I can still hear her voice,” said Paulette Branch, the youngest of five children of Syla Alexandria Artis Branch, a legendary pianist and organist from New Haven.
Syla had made the CD herself; on it her music and voice are recorded for perpetuity. From now until Nov. 23, the CD along with the rest of the altar will be on display at NXTHVN in Dixwell, one element of local artist Arvia Walker’s “Reverence: An Archival Altar” exhibition.
The altar, accompanied by a painting and video of Syla, is part of Walker’s effort to commemorate the “giants” of New Haven’s Black History.
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Jisu Sheen |
Jun 24, 2025 12:37 pm
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Rosalíe: "I want you to feel powerful."
Rosalíe Ortiz, known as just Rosalíe in the music scene, began her set at the downtown bar and music venue Cafe Nine Monday night with an intimate, emotional piece overlaid with voiceovers about how it feels to love being queer. The gravity and tenderness of her opener laid down a backdrop of love for the rest of her performance.
She shared the bill with New York’s Sophie Said and New Havener Tyler Jenkins, or Tyler Goldchain, who moved from the Elm City to Brooklyn a couple years before Rosalíe did the same in February. For Rosalíe, it was a return to the city where she grew up. With both Tyler Goldchain and Rosalíe back on the scene for the night, the show felt like it was from a different era.
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Jisu Sheen |
Jun 23, 2025 11:52 am
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Ghetto Guitar rocking out.
During his Saturday night set at The Table & Gallery, New Haven born-and-raised Ghetto Guitar received a warm welcome home after three years making music in Atlanta. He had a few platinum records to his name already, producing for artists like Gunna and Wiz Khalifa. He’d performed with Latto on Jimmy Fallon’s The Tonight Show and Late Night with Seth Meyers. For Saturday night, he stripped it back to instrumentals.
“It’s refreshing. To be able to do this again,” Ghetto Guitar said. He was ready to, in his words, “vibe all the way out.”
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Jamil Ragland |
Jun 23, 2025 8:02 am
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The BAP Pack featuring A. Marquise
NadaButVibes &BAP Pack Pratt Street Sounds Hartford June 20, 2025
Friday was the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. And the sun certainly made its presence felt on Pratt Street as Hartfordites took in the sights of the Pratt Street Night Market and listened to the dynamic duo of NadaButVibes and the BAP Pack performing.
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Jamil Ragland |
Jun 20, 2025 1:47 pm
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The Lost Tribe feat. dancers from the Movement of the People Dance Company
The Lost Tribe feat. Movement of the People Dance Company Hopgood/Lord Summer Music Series Bushnell Park Hartford June 19, 2025
Juneteenth 2025 featured some wonderful celebrations of African American culture around the Capital city, but few were as impactful as hearing the past, present and future of African American music performed by the Lost Tribe in Bushnell Park.
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Karen Ponzio |
Jun 20, 2025 10:12 am
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Mark Mulcahy.
Mark Mulcahy Space Ballroom Hamden June 19, 2025
Between songs at the Space Ballroom, Mark Mulcahy asked me if I was writing about the show. Standing almost directly in front of him with my notebook and pen in hand I smiled and said, “Yes.” He then asked me how he was doing. I told him that I loved it.
“I’m not surprised,” he responded, and the audience responded to that with laughter and cheers. If you are a fan of Mark Mulcahy — whether it be from his time with the ’80s/’90s regional rock sensation band Miracle Legion, Polaris (house band for Nickelodeon’s The Adventures of Pete & Pete), his solo work, or most likely all three — you would not have been surprised either. Few artists can offer up a catalogue of songs as he can, and on Thursday he chose twenty from that catalogue for a ballroom full of his faithful fans, each song as exquisite and exciting as the one before.
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Adam Walker |
Jun 19, 2025 4:30 pm
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Dr. Hanan Hameen-Diagne leads dancers in a joyful Juneteenth hip-hop workshop.
Hip-hop pioneer DJ Tony Crush shares stories from the culture’s early days at the Visions of Truth conference.
Dooley-O's Juneteenth mural.
“Shake, shake, shake!” echoed like a chorus of empowerment Thursday as Dr. Hanan Hameen-Diagne led a packed room through the raw energy of hip hop and breakdancing.
The real power of the Juneteenth workshop wasn’t just in the footwork — but also in the history that pulsed behind every beat.
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Alina Rose Chen |
Jun 19, 2025 12:11 pm
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Softwalls, a solo project of Allie Tracz, opens "It's Right to Rebel" fundraiser event.
Huellas by Andrés Madariaga.
A golden heart, holding ground amongst chaos: the startling center of Andrés Madariaga’s Huellas—“footprints” — shimmered against a backdrop of fragmented figures, blown-out footsteps, and distorted figures that appeared to be straining at the confines of the canvas.
Rendered in the flag colors of Madariaga’s native Colombia and incorporating the additional black and green of Palestine, the painting’s fluid, surrealist style captured a sense of displacement and the panic of assimilation in a world where borders are more than just lines on a map.
Huellas was one of several pieces on view at Wednesday night’s “It’s Right to Rebel” fundraiser at Café Nine, a celebration of visual art and live music that raised over $1,000 for families impacted by deportation. The event featured performances by Softwalls, Sickpay, and Missed Cues, alongside work by Madariaga, Drew Keefer, Eduardo Alvarez, Alexandra Shaheen, Brian Timko, and Alex Schwindt.
Gary Grippo and his trio took the stage Saturday afternoon downtown at Cafe Nine. They were the feature that week for the regular jazz jam, a free, all-ages open session that stands as one of the bar’s oldest traditions. The trio were obvious pros, staying in tune with every little riff, going hard with ease and, above everything, leaning into the moment with each other.
I met 24-year-old Sax, who plays sax, by the sign-up sheet for the open jam and asked what he thought of the group. He said they sounded great together. “Can’t wait to play with them.”
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Jamil Ragland |
Jun 16, 2025 8:00 am
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Miki Yamanaka looking cool as hell.
The Miki Yamanaka Trio Sunset Sounds Butler-McCook House and Garden Hartford June 12, 2025
The Sunset Sounds concert series is back at the Butler-McCook House and Garden on Main Street in Hartford, kicking off Thursday with the Miki Yamanaka Trio. Pianist Yamanaka easily stands out in a jazz world full of eclectic artists. Born in Kobe, Japan, Yamanaka has made New York City her home since 2012. In Hartford, She wore a plum-colored kimono decorated with flowers, a wide brimmed hat and shades that made her look cool as hell.
Carter, Costantini, and Scialla of T!LT at the warehouse studio where they record and practice.
There it was, written in bold, black letters on a shipping label, with an ‘x’ in the exclamation mark of T!LT and all-caps for emphasis, style, or both.
T!LTHATESTHE N.H.I.
Driving the point home was another sticker in the same handwriting:
T!LTHATESFREEPRESS
To be fair, there was also T!LTEATSBIGGREENSNOT, T!LTMADEPANDASSNEEZE, and the heaviest blow in my opinion, T!LTISNOTINTERESTIN’.
“Every story you hear about us is true, even the good ones,” said Mike Scialla, singer and guitarist for New Haven punk band T!LT. He makes the stickers himself to pass out at shows. “We’re slandering ourselves so we can stay true to who we are.”
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Maya McFadden |
Jun 10, 2025 12:21 pm
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Singing fondly about the past, in Harriett Alfred's class.
Nostalgia found its way into one of Harriett Alfred’s final music classes at Cooperative Arts & Humanities High School as students sang about fond childhood memories — as well as about the time they’ve spent learning from a cherished, soon-to-retire educator.
The thief? Down-to-earth Connecticut alt indie musician Brooke Dougan.
The stolen goods? Instrumentalists Josh Sansone, Matt Nagy, and Luke Krascewski of local band Pond View.
Also stolen: the hearts of the rapt crowd at Hamden live music venue Space Ballroom Saturday night as they got a chance to hear Dougan’s voice backed by the rich, layered textures of an experienced band.
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Jamil Ragland |
Jun 9, 2025 8:00 am
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The Cherry Pie Band, from left to right: Michael Savino, Jilian Grey, Rich Dart and Lou Bocciarelli
The Cherry Pie Band Summer Concert Series Old State House Hartford June 6, 2025
The first day of summer is still weeks away, but you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s already arrived, thanks to the sweltering heat and the hot tunes from the Cherry Pie Band on display at the kickoff of the Summer Concert Series at the Old State House in Hartford.
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Karen Ponzio |
Jun 6, 2025 12:59 pm
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Solgyres.
The temperatures may have soared into the 80s Thursday, but the hottest spot was Three Sheets, where two bands transformed the crowd into summer mode with their free-spirited danceable sets.
Solgyres — who describe their music as “solarpunk reggae” — and Fuselaje — “surf, ska, cumbia” — melded all of their sounds into one big party.
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Karen Ponzio |
Jun 2, 2025 11:21 am
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The Cadavers.
On Friday night Cafe Nine served up a double dose of legendary local bands, as Lost Generation and The Cadavers each offered a set that heated up an already steamy room full of fans and friends with a host of hard and fast songs that got the crowd moving, moshing, and mad for more.
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Jisu Sheen |
May 30, 2025 11:43 am
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Shanell Alyssa on keys and vocals, feeling the music, as bassist Cliff Schloss and drummer Avery Collins keep it steady in the back.
Playing tight enough to get loose, new local band Up on the Downbeat debuted their funky rhythms at the Dwight soccer pub and live music hub The Cannon Thursday night. Listening to their well-seasoned solos and smoother than smooth coordination, no one would ever guess this was their first live performance as a band.
Echoes of history: Sarah Johnson at the Trinity organ.
Seated behind three rows of keys and columns of buttons, Sarah Johnson pulled out all the stops she could to bathe the sanctum of Trinity Church on the Green in a timeless ethereal whirl of baroque music.
Dooley‑O vs. Hugh Betta Firehouse 12 45 Crown St. May 25
Records, heads, and hips turned Sunday afternoon as DJs Dooley‑O and Hugh Betta spun back-to-back sets at The Bar at Firehouse 12 on Crown Street, playing old-school (with a little bit of new-school) hip hop, R&B, and house tracks in the underground lounge.
The event was set up as a bit of a versus: Dooley‑O vs. Hugh Betta. But if you came thinking you’d witnessed a real showdown, you’d be wrong.
“Let the people think what they want to think,” Dooley‑O said as he prepared to replace one record with another on his turntable. “The ‘VS’ stands for Vegan Soul food.”
He was waiting on a plate of vegan fish and grits from Chef Skyller, who took over Firehouse 12’s kitchen for the afternoon.
Richard Barone & Glenn Mercer’s Hazy Cosmic Jive Small Batch Cellars North Haven May 24
What was considered post-Velvet Underground underground music came back to life underground in North Haven, thanks to two rockers who lived it back in the day.
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Jamil Ragland |
May 15, 2025 8:00 am
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The Carmine's House Band, featuring Kieran Davey
Open Mic Night Carmine’s Bar, Grill and Stage East Hartford May 12, 2025
It was Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. The Knicks were up 2 – 1, and the Celtics had to battle back in Madison Square Garden. The perfect night to kill two birds with one stone: take in some great local talent and watch some great basketball.
Galianna Erazo-Hernández often spends her days behind the scenes, working as an artist development specialist at recording studio Factory Underground in Norwalk. On Saturday night, Erazo-Hernández stepped away from the desk and into the spotlight for her first official performance as just Galianna (one name, like Cher) in New Haven’s Upper State Street district — in her words, “sucking it up” and calling herself a recording artist.
“It’s just so much fun to play,” drummer Reena Yu said, winding down from her surreal, groovy set with local rock band VVEBS Thursday night. The group joined other Connecticut band Bajzelle and The Great Googly Moogly from New York for three sets of rock & roll at the Elm Street bar Three Sheets.
Yu played to a room of bar regulars and rock fans, jumping and nodding in their long shorts and baseball caps. Somewhere beyond the crowd, in a back room with a pool table, a pair of long white ears might have perked up too.
