Hi guys!
Welcome to my little indie music blog world. I’m going to be writing about the goings-on of indie Long Island. In case some of you were unaware: indie Long Island exists.
Often, when I tell someone in the non-music side of my life that I’m an original musician, their response is excited, supportive, and a little bewildered. Excited, because it’s exciting to hear about someone you know pursuing their dreams, especially if those dreams relate to being creative or to performing. Supportive, because most people I’ve met are all about helping someone local go after their passion. Bewildered, because most people don’t seem to have the first idea where or how to find out about local music, let alone listen to it and support it. Most people will even say how much they’d rather listen to an original artist than a cover band, but they don’t know where they can do that.
If you’re my friend, you’ve been subjected to a lecture on this subject at least once or twice. I consider it a responsibility of mine to try to bridge the gap between original, independent music and the people who totally want to support it. So anyway, that’s the idea behind this blog.
If you have anything that’s local and indie that you think I should be letting people know about, please give me a shout and/or post in comments!
So guys, here are two easy, breezy, end-of-summer festivals going on this weekend!
Locally Raised Musicians at the Southampton Arts Harvest
Stage on Main St in Southampton, Saturday & Sunday From 1 – 7pm
Performers on Saturday: Julie Trudden, Tallanes Peru, Johnny Ray Trio, The Bastards of BOOM (http://www.myspace.com/bastardsofboom)
Performers on Sunday: Alfredo Merat (http://www.myspace.com/europajamsessions), Michael Jazz Trio (www.michaeljazztrio.com), Lil Cliff and the Cliffhangers (http://www.lilcliff.com/), “Harvest” Jazz All Stars
More details at http://www.artsharvestsouthampton.org/artsharvestweb-music.html
Amazedness Kite Fly
Sunday from Noon – 4 at Smith Point Park.
Live original music and a last hurrah beach day at the Beach Hut at Smith Point.
Admission is $5 which gets donated to cancer research.
Performers that day: yours truly (www.roriekelly.com), Silent Generosity (http://silentgenerosity.com/), Jay Scott Band (www.jayscottlive.com), Jennett Russell, and the Michael Jazz Trio (www.michaeljazztrio.com).
For more details check out http://www.exploreli.com/events/amazedness-kite-fly-1.1410803
Big shout out to the Michael Jazz Trio: that’s right, they’re playing Southampton AND Smith Point back to back on Sunday. If you can catch them at either venue, it will be a treat. These guys are a family band aged 9 – 16, and their skill and discipline pretty much puts me and everyone I know to shame. But it’s not just the “they’re so young and they’re good!” thing, it’s also that they play really GOOD jazz–the kind that makes you want to close your eyes and sway. Which I have done every time I’ve had the opportunity to hear them live.
Keep your eye on the band at http://www.michaeljazztrio.com/, because they’ve got a new CD coming out on Paradiddle Records (http://www.paradiddlerecords.com/) towards the end of this month. Paradiddle Records is an all-indie, all-local record label based in Huntington. They’re pretty awesome and very DIY and very worth supporting.