CRUMBS Cafe

CRUMBS Cafe

By Mike GuzzoMusicMusic Interviews
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CRUMBS Cafe episodes

  • Gordon St - Episode 164
    22 Jan 2013: Lead vocalist/bassist Dan Noonan and guitarist Ritch Harrigan cut their teeth together playing in numerous musical incarnations over the past decade; the bond that was formed from years of playing together is readily apparent in the bands blistering live sets. A veteran of several upstate NY bands, drummer Dennis Fatato rounds out Gordon Sts sound with his solid grooves and tight harmonies. The addition of Mark Bertini on keyboards completed the bands line-up and set the groups sound apart from their contemporaries.
    The band has grown in large part due to the diversity of the venues they have played, ranging from nationally renowned venues around the Capital Region such as The Times Union Center, Red Square, Valentines, The WAMC Linda Norris Auditorium to intimate settings such as the Moon and River Cafe. The band has been privileged to share the stage with several national touring acts, including The Sadies, Barefoot Truth, and Southwest Engine.
    In 2012 the band released its debut digital EP, 'Telenovella'. A collection of five diverse tracks ranging from pop to hard rock that The Daily Gazettes Brian McElhiney called a 'mix Beatle-esque pop hooks, jam band-influenced tangents and heavy guitar riffs, all to danceable rhythms' and have garnered the group airplay on local radio stations WEXT and WEQX. 'Peggy Beans,' the bands lead single from 'Telenovella' was selected as one of WEXTs top 60 Local 518 songs of 2012.
    29 min
  • Stellar Young - Episode 163

    15 Jan 2013: Stellar Young (formerly The City Never Sleeps) is based out of Albany, NY. Originally from the Hudson Valley area, these five guys have already shared the stage with the likes of Paramore, Badfish, Weerd Science, and The Features. Guerilla Magazine called Stellar Young a 'refreshingly hard-to-categorize rock outfit; unsigned, relatively new on the music scene, but undeniably catchy.' Albany is no stranger to Stellar Young, recently naming them 'Best New Band' and voting them the '#1 Indie Rock Band' in the region according to the Metroland 2012 'Best of' issue and 2012 Readers Poll. The guys have secured regular rotation at many local stations (WEXT, WEQX, and WRPI) as well as other stations around the Northeast (WONY, WSUB-LP, and WFNP). Around the city, they have played 50+ shows and acoustic performances and have made strong connections with the local promoters. The band is currently expanding into the greater northeast in areas such as NYC, Montreal, the Hudson Valley, Oneonta, and Plattsburgh. Between finishing their newest album 'Everything at Once', successfully raising funds on Kickstarter for a mini shuttle bus, and releasing their sophomore album 'Madison', touring; Stellar Young are hardworking DIYers that will continue to grow.

    29 min
  • Summer of Doug - Episode 162
    08 Jan 2013: Douglas John Bergen always had a dream to be on stage, playing music and it seemed like it was to remain a dream until his wife, Kelly, gave him a $100.00 guitar on Christmas Day, 2008. During a guitar lesson with Don Warren, Don suggested that Doug try his hand a song writing. Doug agreed under the pretense that the songs would be simple, easy to listen to and from the heart. The result was a catalog of thirteen songs that were to be recorded at Hilltop and Edie Road Studios.
    The SOD band was formed in October of 2010 when singer/songwriter Douglas John Bergen decided to take his original material live with the songs from his debut CD, Double, Yellow Line. SODs sound has been heavily influenced by Eddie Vedder, Warren Zevon, Bruce Springsteen and bands such as The Screaming Trees, The Who and Pink Floyd. The self funded, thirteen song CD, Double Yellow Line, will be released on October 22, 2011.
    The SOD band is made up of local talent that Doug had met while playing at various venues and is as follows: Dennis Knight McGlauflin on drums, J.V. Abbey on lead guitars, Mathew Juk on mandolin, Arya Chowdhury on bass guitar, Doug Bradley on harmonica and Douglas John Bergen on acoustic guitars and vocals.
    29 min
  • Katie Haverly - Episode 161
    25 Nov 2012: Katie Haverly was back in town for a vacation and stopped by to perform a couple of songs from her band Copper and Congress. Katie is accompanied by Corey Cottrell (guitar, vocals), Kai Lindstedt (drums), and Patrick Morris (bass). The Tucson, Arizona based band combines elements of indie-rock, alternative, jazz, and folk styles to create an intimately raw yet palatable pop sound.
    After singing and performing for 13 years with varying band incarnations, Katie moved to Tucson from Albany and discovered in just a few short months Kai, Patrick, and Corey from a series of informal, open mic collaborations. Since announcing their band name and lineup during a live KXCI performance in March 2012, Copper and Congress has quickly become engrained in the Tucson music scene.
    With the support of 116 Kickstarter backers, Copper and Congress was able to record their first record at the legendary WaveLab studios with Craig Schumacher as their producer and feature on the album performances by Calexico members Joey Burns and Jacob Valenzuela. The bands intimate, and wide-ranging musical tastes and backgrounds underlie the intricately arranged songs on The Leap Year, and the easy and synergistic energy between members is especially evident during live performances.
    Copper and Congress is committed to their craft. The band is dually focused on achieving technical perfection and conveying raw, emotional truth. Honoring their Tucson-inspired name, Copper and Congress strives to reflect the eclectic nature of their native music scene by combining the bluesy, country, and Americana sounds of artists like Lucinda Williams and Ryan Adams, with the rawness of classic alternative acts like Pearl Jam, and the alternative/moody sounds of artists like Feist and Zero 7. Throughout The Leap Year, the intricate, energetic music combines with Haverlys poetic and revelatory lyrics and transcendent voice. According to Haverly, 'The album feels like a journey. Its lots of stories weaving together to tell one big story.'
    29 min
  • Zan Strumfeld - Episode 160
    20 Nov 2012: Latham, NY native singer/songwriter Zan Strumfeld has spent the majority of her life trying to figure out who she is. As a self-described pseudo-Luddite and romantic, she has taken to the written word since she was six years old.
    Weak from heat and a broken heart, Zan picked up her hardly-played guitar and starting write songs in the summer of 2011. Things escalated much quicker than she thought they would, and somehow, after a few open mics, she began playing cafes, bars, and festivals. In less than a year, Zan has played more than 50 shows in the Hudson Valley and Capital Region.
    Her lyrics undress her deepest secrets, reflecting her relationships with others, dissecting minute circumstances of self-discovery, and understanding lifes truths. Spending most of her time with a steel string guitar, shes found nylon strings to be more suited for her voice and the sad but seducing rhythms she likes to play.
    She is heavily influenced by writers including Joni Mitchell, Simon and Garfunkel, Laura Marling, Milan Kundera, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and Richard Brautigan. Although she would love to be a folk singer/songwriter who dabbles with soul, jazz, funk, indie, and country, she has yet to find a genre she can comfortably box herself into. The 'Genre of Zan' has been the closest she has come to.
    29 min
  • Above the Flood - Episode 159
    05 Nov 2012: They will rock you. Featuring Matt Shufelt and Ricky Little formerly of Split 2nd Alibi, Steve Rajter formerly of Hygeer, and Mike Grosshandler of The Velmas, Above the Flood is an original hard rock band based out of the Capital Region of New York. The band is currently in the process of finishing up their debut EP to be entitled 'Sugar of Lead'. We are now booking both original shows as well as full night cover/original shows. Their original music has influences drawn from bands like Breaking Benjamin, Theory of a Deadman, Chevelle, Seether, Alice in Chains, and The Beatles.
    29 min
  • Molly Durnin - Episode 158
    30 Oct 2012: Molly Durnin is a singer-songwriter with a sound all her own, including a rhythmic guitar groove and tuneful melodic sense that draws from the heart of Americana, folk and blues traditions. Refreshingly original, her songs combine wit and whimsy with a driving energy and emotional depth that never fail to enthrall listeners.
    Mollys new CD 'Run', released June 21, 2012, includes ten original songs recorded at Black Dog Studios in Stillwater, NY, with some of the regions top musicians providing backup, including The City Never Sleeps, a well-known indie band based in Albany, and veteran bass player Tony Markellis.
    In her songs, Durnin ponders the freedom of foxes, speculates on the existence of extraterrestrials, sings of temptation, cheap wine, and mermaid revenge. Played in her characteristic acoustic groove, the arrangements include bass, drums, conga, lead guitar, keyboard and harmonica, while her husky-sweet vocals remain front and center. It is hoped that her fresh sound will find airplay at indie radio stations nationwide.
    29 min
  • The Lazy Suns - Episode 157
    23 Oct 2012: The Lazy Suns: as featured on Discovery Channels Deadliest Catch. If you took the Flying Burrito Brothers, the Beatles, Townes Van Zandt, Tom Petty, Hank Williams and put them all together in a stewing pot to simmer you would have the Lazy Suns. Coming together in December 2010, but no strangers to the stage or wide audiences, The Lazy Suns features five seasoned musicians/singer-songwriters who have spent most of their lives performing all over the United States. The band recently announced the release of their first CD and licensing deal with Amygdala Music / Original Productions, who places music with many International Emmy award winning shows on Discovery Channel, the History Channel, and AandE including Ice Road Truckers, Dirty Jobs, Pawn Stars, American Pickers, and the Deadliest Catch.
    29 min
  • Step Back Eleven - Episode 156
    16 Oct 2012: Step.back.Eleven. is comprised of current and former members of the Frank Palangi Band. The members of this band are dedicated to revitalizing the idea of creativity. Too many songs today seem repetitive and uniform. Rather than conforming to traditional styles, Step.back.Eleven wishes to bring a twist to the music world by combining several backgrounds together. With Drummer Josh Opitz bringing Punk, Brandon Oropallo bringing grunge and rock, and Sal Leggieri infusing the music with hard rock and hints of metal, the idea of music can hopefully change. Even though there are many styles comprised within this band the overall attempt is to make similar genre music that can appeal to multiple audiences through every song. Creating different sounds and tempos is the essence for which staying relevant revolves. In the eyes of Step.back.Eleven., the most important part of music are is the fans.
    30 min
  • Smittix - Episode 155
    15 Oct 2012: Rob 'Smittix' ODonnell has an extensive background with hip hop and song writing in general. Robs career in music began after writing, producing and voicing a radio rap jingle for 'Snapple Beverage Corp'; which aired in virtually every city in the United States in the mid nineties. Rob also graced the Capital Region airwaves for nearly a decade as an on-air personality and was most known as the character 'Scarbelly' on WGY.
    In 1994 Rob met Jim McCuen formally the bassist of 'Conehead Buddha', who introduced him to a sound that he had never heard before. The music is called 'Ska', which has roots in Jamaica but also reached its peak of popularity in England in the 1980s. Rob knew that his speed approach to rap vocals could easily be modified to fit into this genre of Ska music.
    Coincidentally, Will Seyfferth (Bassist) was also inspired by Conehead Buddha and had made friends with Jim McCuen as well. Jim coached Will on his bass playing along the way but Will was mostly self taught. Conehead Buddhas front man Chris Fisher also produced Seyfferths first bands album (the original 'Fall Out Boys') free of charge as an incentive for Will to graduate high school.
    Jay ODonnell (Drummer) is Rob 'Smittix' ODonnells brother and has been playing drums literally ever since he was in diapers. Jay had also received instruction from Al Kash (Folding Sky), which was exactly what he needed to help him perfect his playing abilities. By the time Jay reached high school he was playing in various punk/hardcore bands such as 'Cast Down and Malodiction' but he always had his hand in other projects.
    Jay and Rob had their eye on Will to play bass for a project for years but Seyfferth always seemed to be occupied with other bands.
    James Tougher (Guitarist) was in a band with Will Seyfferth (Bassist) prior to Smittix called 'Five Star Outlaw'. When the outlaws went their separate ways, this was the opportunity Rob and Jay had been waiting for to seize Will 'King of the 4 String' Seyfferth. Finally in late 2006, both Will Seyfferth and James Tougher agreed to join the ODonnell brothers as a package deal.
    James brought to the table an almost classic rock approach to the normally always up-picking sound of Ska guitar. James father was a guitarist who taught James only three basic chords, a few weeks later 10 year old James showed his father that he could play along very well with the 'Rush' Album 'Moving Pictures'. Since then James has become one of the most talented and recognized guitarists in the local Capital scene. In 2009 James was approached by former 'Dropkick Murphys' guitarist and founding member Rick Barton to join a huge national tour to play guitar for his new band 'Continental'. Unfortunately, this offer came at a bad time when all of the members of Smittix were taking a much needed break from playing shows to deal with life for a while.
    30 min

About CRUMBS Cafe

From the publisher's feed

CRUMBS Cafe was an Upstate New York radio show from January 2007 to September 2015 where local musicians stopped by the CRUMBS Cafe Studio for an interview and a couple of songs. Often we got the…