After making a solid US debut earlier this year, British soul singer Alice Russell returns to Hiro Ballroom this November 14th. With lavish vocals, sass and a bluesy lament, Russell has captivated audiences at her shows and recorded with Kushti, Bah Samba, Quantic and Quantic Soul Orchestra (Tru Thoughts), including a thundering cover of The White Stripes' "7 Nation Army." Her solo outing is a live six piece band – ‘Alice Russell Live,’ comprising of a prime selection of talented...

Giant Step presents Jazmine Sullivan two days in row in NYC at Steve Madden's LES store STEVEN (9/24) and in Miami at Delano's gorgeous Florida Room (9/25). Having recently claimed #1 on multiple Billboard charts for her debut single, “Need U Bad,” Philly-born Jazmine's jazz phrasing and sultry shades of great vocalists like Phyllis Hyman and Sarah Vaughan have been paired with a Salt-N-Pepa chant and Missy Elliot and Lamb's production. Out on September 23rd, Sullivan's J Records...

Photo © Erik Schneider Recently, I experienced one of the truly crappy things about living in New York: getting your bike stolen. My Schwinn still had that new bike smell when it was jacked on Bedford Ave. What's different for me is that it was my first bike since I was 11 (why I never learned to ride is a long, stupid story). Most of you already know the sting of losing your first set of wheels and the accompanying playground anguish and can handle it with aplomb. Not...

The much heralded Gerald "Jerry" Wexler died of congestive heart failure on August 15, 2007 at the age of 91. The New York City-born music producer was best known for coining the phrase "Rhythm and Blues" and recorded with a staggering array of artists at Atlantic Records (where he was a partner), including Ray Charles, Led Zeppelin, Dusty Springfield, Aretha Franklin and Bob Dylan. After being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of fame in 1987 based on his contributions across 3...

Photo of Jamie Lidell © Phillip Angert View photos here . Archive link here . When you miss things, your good friends will fill you in on the highlights and assure you that no matter the pyrotechnics, special guests or bales of free money thrown in the air, you didn't miss much. Well. If you missed Giant Step's 2008 Summerstage show, your...

Soul legend Isaac Hayes died Sunday, August 10th in his home in Memphis. The exact cause of death is unknown, but he was found unconscious next to a treadmill, and he had previously suffered a stroke in 2006. He was 65. After joining Stax Records at the age of 21 as a studio musician and songwriter with David Porter, penning hits for Sam & Dave ("Soul Man" and "Hold On! I'm Coming!") and Carla Thomas ("B-A-B-Y"), Hayes debuted his first solo album in 1967, Presenting Isaac Hayes ....

One of my favorite songs of the moment is "Little Bit" by Lykke Li. Lykke Li is a Swedish national who cranks out that folky, beige pop the Nordics craft so well. When I hear her music Feist and Peter Bjorn and John pop in my head. "Little Bit" is a sunny infusion of delicate, melodic guitar and fuzzy bass over which Lykke coyly proclaims she's "a little bit in love with you" only if you're "in la la la love with me." That sort of naked...

Live Nation announced today that The Lyrics Tour starring Jill Scott with special guest Wyclef Jean at Central Park SummerStage has been canceled . Refunds are now available at point of purchase.

Photo of The Martinez Brothers © Phillip Angert View photos here . Archive link here . Bless Rich Medina and Q-Tip for giving this city something reliable to do on Friday nights with their body-rockin' weekly at Santos' Party House . It's still in its infancy (only a few weeks old) so it's still all...