Blog | Music: Subterranean Sounds

Deborah Lombardi has been a strong female voice in the Long Island music scene for several years going. Her new album is called Sweet Revenge, and it captures well the singer-songwriter’s seemingly contradictory style. The artwork features the artist and her guitar, looking charming with dozens dainty yellow flowers all around. But inside, the artist sweetly croons about an aging prom king and queen turning into ugly has-beens with “watermelon waists” and “saggy-bag eyes.” That, she explains to the prom king’s jilted ex-girlfriend, is sweet revenge.

Deborah’s tart sense of humor carries through the album, though she also has a serious, moody side that comes out in songs like “Ghost of You” and “Cure for Tears.” Her songwriting ranges from loose country-folk to 70s-esque pop ballads reminiscent of The Carpenters. A standout track is the soulful “Let You Go,” which takes a more stream-of-consciousness approach than the rest of the album, both musically and lyrically. It captures the essence of a woman who has been around the block once or twice, but can’t help putting her feelings on the line all the same.

Deborah has been playing avidly since the release of Sweet Revenge.  You can catch her next this weekend at The Montauk Music Festival.  For more information and tour dates, visit her website at deborahlombardi.com.

89 North’s First Original Music Night

There’s a little buzz building in Patchogue about 89 North. Over the last several years, Patchogue has established itself as a neighborhood friendly to local music in general and original music in particular. 89 North has jumped onto the bandwagon with their new Original Music Night, taking place this Thursday.

To kick off their original series, 89 North has booked Gathering Time, Deborah Lombardi Band, Josh Joffen, and Tim Porter. Here is a little background on the lineup: Gathering Time is a trio made up of Stuart Markus, Glen Roethel and Hillary Foxsong—for the past several years they have been making a big name for themselves with their tight harmonies and friendly folk sensibilities. Deborah Lombardi is a well-respected local musician and has just released an album called Sweet Revenge. Tim Porter is an acoustic act who himself recently released an album with the lyrical title “Politics in an Internet Cafe”.  And Josh Joffen made waves in the NYC folk scene before bringing his simple, evocative tunes to Long Island—and also had his song “Crazy Horse” covered by Gathering Time on their debut recording.

Most people I know who enjoy live music genuinely want to support original act. However, many music venues don’t believe original music is a solid investment. If you come out to Thursday’s show, you will not only be getting an evening of great music—you’ll also be showing real support for the growing original music scene on our fair Island.

A lot of people who dig music love art too, but for some reason it’s hard to find events that blend the two successfully. An art opening may at most have a classical pianist or a jazz guitarist in providing “atmosphere” (somewhere in a corner where she or he is not a distraction…), and it would probably be downright unsafe to hang fine art at a show with a moshpit (although Vice Versa has been known to do just that at its charitable art/music shows). Art and music under one roof: everyone likes the idea but no one is quite sure how to do it.

Live Art Fusion is Rich Rivkin’s attempt to bring art onto the scene as a performance that collaborates with live music, instead of forcing either to vy for the audience’s attention. Twelve live artists “speed-paint” at these event while live jazz fusion music serves as inspiration to both them and the audience. It’s the sort of thing that would make a hoity-toity gallery owner turn away in disgust, which is probably part of why I think it’s such a good idea.

Right now, Live Art Fusion is a weekly Wednesday event at 841 East Lounge in Huntington—but stay tuned, because this summer there will be a series of larger outdoor events and festivals as well. If you think 12 speed-painting artists is a lot, try 50, with plenty of easel space to join in yourself. For more info. and to keep tabs on this cool happening, check out www.LiveArtFusion.com.

A night of music and psychic readings? Yes, you guessed right, Jessie Haynes is involved. This Saturday, the East End troubadour will join forces with local medium Jim Fargiano to bring you an evening of music, spiritualism, and fine dining at Giorgio’s at Fox Hill.

The evening begins with a posh dinner buffet feauturing live music from Ms. Haynes. After dinner, Jim Fargiano will share his spiritual insights with the audience, including Q and A and personal messages from beyond. The evening sounds suspiciously like a scene in a Victorian fantasy novel I read recently. In the novel, the heroine learns that she has some super-secret magical powers and is in the middle of a generations-old dispute between a secret magical society and some bad guys.

Given that art imitates life, it seems reasonably likely that if you attend on Saturday night you may learn something similar about yourself. If not, you’ll still get a fancy meal and an interesting night, so what’s to complain, really?

If you DO come away with the knowledge of mysterious powers, let me just ask you not to forget the nice blog writer who referred you to this life-changing night. Feel free to change some straw into gold for me, or something, as a thank you.

Anyway, the event is this Saturday, March 3rd, and commences at 7pm. Tickets are $75 a person in advance or $90 at the door, and can be purchase via Paypal at Jim Fargiano’s website.

Apparently the Brookhaven National Lab found out about all the live music foibles going on down the road in Patchogue and decided to get in on the action.  The BNL Music Club, which sounds like a fan club for the Barenaked Ladies, is actually an employee group at the Brookhaven National Laboratory, designed to “exchange musical ideas and encourage musical development among BNL employees, guests and visitors.” (From the Brookhaven National Lab website.) 

One of the more popular events this club has sponsored is the “Gathering Of the Slides,” an annual bluesy bash that features some of the favorites from the Long Island scene. This January 22nd will be the ninth annual Gathering and will feature Kerry Kearney, who dubs his playing style as “Psychedelta,” and Dee Harris, a self-taught singer, songwriter, and player of guitars and various other instruments with strings.

Tickets are available for this event at www.ticketweb.com, and are recommended as the event has sold out in the past. The show starts at 7:30 pm in the lab itself.  Tickets are $10 in advance or $15 at the door.