Monday, January 9, 2012

I'm in love. What's that sound?

Continuing on the music vibe, I was pleasantly surprised to read this article today in The Albany Times Union about how Hudson, New York, is becoming such a "musician-friendly town." The article interviews Tommy Stinson, a new Hudson resident and former bassist in the influential rock band The Replacements.



Pretty cool. And he's not alone... apparently Meshell Mdegeocello lives here, as does Melissas Auf Der Maur from the band Hole, members of indie rock band Vetiver*, and my stepfather says he even ran into Sonny Rollins one time. Wow.

Producer Henry Hirsch (Lenny Kravitz)
has opened a new studio in this converted
1869 church in Hudson. Can I get an amen?
It means much to me because Hudson is where my family is from-- both mother and father, and I still have several aunts and uncles in the area. I'm actually living part-time at my grandparent's old farm property at the moment, and it has been nice to revisit the town that I have such fond memories of growing up.

I don't know if my family or I would have guessed that downtown Hudson would turn into the scene it is today. Over the past twenty years or so I have seen it grow into quite a creative hub--art galleries, trendy restaurants, and the thing that started it all, antique dealers. It makes sense-- it is an easy train ride to and from New York City, and sort of centrally located (like the Berkshires) from NYC, Boston, and Montreal. It's kid of ideal... if you can make a go of it. I never found much work here in Hudson besides the odd part-time job helping out at art galleries, but many New Yorkers now claim it as their own-- second homes, or even commuting.

I hope the city doesn't get too spoilt by this-- as the article describes, it does have a sort of "real" quality about it. Believe me, you don't really get that in the Berkshires. Music is the way to cut through that though, and while I am here I look forward to hearing about new creative artists, and seeing how Club Helsinki takes off (recent acts have included Tift Merritt, Sister Sparrow and The Dirty Birds, and Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings. Wow).

The Piano Man + Songbird. My two
favorite musicians (Holland, MI, c. 1963)
For me it is especially sweet because music brought my parents together. My Dad was a pretty accomplished pianist, and my Mom had a lovely voice-- I used to enjoy hearing them perform together in the churches where they both worked as an organist and choir director (I was in the teen choir). Ok, now my family's town is reminding me again it's time for me to step it up in the music department! I'll see what I can do... In the meantime, local musicians in Hudson, please get in touch-- I'd love to at least look into having you on my TV music show, which has been mostly New England-based up to now. Time to bring it all back home...


Related Link: 

Hudson, N.Y.: Where Bands Feel at Home, New York Times


More about producer Henry Hirsch's studio


*Note: The lead singer of Vetiver, Andy Cabic, is one of the many artists featured in A Concert for Loved Ones in Haiti, which I filmed at The Colonial Theater in Pittsfield, MA, back in February 2010. Here is a short clip with the previously mentioned Tift Merritt. Watch this space for more details on an upcoming broadcast.







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