The Backlot will be closed today

The Backlot will be closed today

NEO Project is a professional seven piece, high energy dance band rooted in funky R&B grooves, afro cuban/caribbean rhythms & jazzy, bluesy soul. Its members are music professors, a former Motown sideman and soul practitioners with years of experience.

NEO Project reinterprets some of the best soul jazz funk music out there with their own unique twist, always giving the listener a powerful dose of deep pocket grooves supporting soulful melodies & blazing improvisation. This band rocks hard as they weave irresistible rhythms around spontaneous expressions of R&B, Afro-Cuban & world beat syncopations. Blending Eddie Harris's "Freedom Jazz Dance" with the Pointer Sisters rendition of "Yes We Can Can" until it is difficult to imagine the two as separate creations. And they do it all on their toes as they shape & re-shape their arrangements on the fly vibing off of their audiences energy.

The Blue Trio is classic organ/guitar/drums in the tradition of Jimmy Smith, Wes Montgomery, Groove Holmes.

Members of the trio are familiar faces in the Ithaca Music Scene:

Drums: Michael Wellen studied percussion at the University of Buffalo. He was a founding member of the infamous Zobo Funn Band and has more than 40 years of experience playing Jazz, Rock, Latin, Blues and other styles. Michael taught drums and percussion for more than 20 years at the Community School of Music and Arts in Ithaca, NY where he was also a member of the staff. Michael was also co-owner and audio engineer for Hillcrest Productions, a small recording studio. He has performed with the Zobo Funn Band, The Lowdown Alligator Jass Band, Rising Sign, Desperado, The Southern Tears, the Molly MacMillan Trio, the HotFoot Club, the Aceto Lieberman Quartet, and many others.

Guitar/Vocals: Alex Specker has been a founding member of several bands in the Ithaca area including Foots, Rising Sign, Swingsation, and more recently The Pelotones and filled in on guitar for many others. He studied guitar and music while growing up in Queens, NY; taking private lessons, minoring in music at The City College of NY (majoring in electrical engineering), and studying with jazz guitarist Bob Levine in Los Angeles. He is a master of elegant jazz and blues styles and has recently bloomed as a vocalist in the Blue Flames.

Keyboards/Vocals: Don Karr has been a singer/keyboardist/songwriter since the mid-’sixties covering a range of musical genres. In the Ithaca area, Don has performed with The Moontones, Slippery Hips, Straight Face, Moxie, Walt Amy and the Hep Cats, The Usual Suspects, Deek and the Dactyls, The Al Hartland Trio, The Immortal Jellyfish, and many others.

Sarah Noell is a singer-songwriter based in Ithaca, NY. Formerly of the indie-rock band Wildflwr, Sarah plays a mix of original indie, folk, and country tunes. She also covers various songs across genres throughout the decades, giving them new life and a unique folky spin. Read more about her recent self-released EP Retreat to Space here.

The Backlot will be closed today

The Pelotones are a jazz/blues/R and B quartet ideal for swing dance or listening. We also perform as a trio or duet.

The Pelotones are primarily a swing dance group. We have a strong rhythm section with Harry Aceto on Bass and Mike Wellen on drums. We play a mix of swing jazz, shuffle blues, waltz and bossa. Also, Alex and Wayne play as a duet.

DJ Mike Judah specializing in Roots and Dancehall Reggae. He has been hosting Reggae Explosions on 92 WICB at Ithaca College for 17 years now. Voted Ithaca’s favorite radio show in the 2018 Ithaca Times Best of Ithaca Edition.

Chicago and Delta style blues with a modern twist; come on out and shake your hips!

Kipani an artist currently living in Binghamton, New York. Kipani’s music is vulnerable and honest with an upbeat pop edge. Her focus on creating well-crafted pop songs is clear in her infectious hooks and lush harmonies that drive this project home.

Annie Burns creates uplifting, transcendent music filled with warmth and conviction. 

The Burns Sisters were signed with Columbia and Rounder Records and have since released many recordings.  They toured with Arlo Guthrie for 5 yrs and then Annie and Marie did a Celtic recording and toured Ireland every year (pre-pandemic.) Annie still works with the Burns Sisters. She has three solo recordings to her credit and produces both her own songs and other artists. She has stepped out of the pandemic and started working with longtime collaborator, Doug Robinson, and the talented Harry Aceto. Doug is a multi-instrumentalist that has toured with Martin Simpson and in town plays with Djug Django. Harry Aceto also plays with Djug Django and has toured with Jay Unger, Molly Mason, and The Gordon Webster Swing band. The trio is out to play some jazzy, folksy, torch songs to have some fun with the lifting of the pandemic restrictions. Music, food for the soul.

The Backlot will be closed today

Hannah Martin:

Hannah Martin resides in Ithaca, NY as a private voice teacher, consultant, and vocal jazz clinician. She has studied with and performed alongside faculty members of Ithaca College as well as the world renowned New York Voices.

Since completing her M.M. in Vocal Performance with a jazz focus from Ithaca College School of Music in 2019, Hannah has become an active member of the music community both on and off campus. Recent ensemble work includes Cayuga Vocal Ensemble, OPUS School of Music’s Odyssey Choir, as well as working as a guest clinician for Ithaca College’s Vocal Jazz Repertory Ensemble and Ithaca High School Choir. She currently works as a clinician and private voice teacher for Running to Places Theater Company, OPUS School of Music, and Outschool.

Bob Keefe:

Born in Los Angeles and raised in Fresno, California, Bob started playing guitar at age 14. His first professional gig was at 15. He holds a PhD in Music from the University of North Texas and has resided in Ithaca since 1987. He has taught guitar and music at Ithaca College, The University of South Florida, and Cornell University and has performed with Clark Terry, Phil Woods, Eugene Friesen, Johnny Smith, Steve Morse, and Jack Petersen. He is the consummate guitarist, loves playing all styles of guitar, and is in high demand as a guitar teacher.

Bob and Hannah Martin have been working together playing music since July 1, 2017.

Chickenwire Parachute is the latest incarnation of songwriter Dustin Stuhr(Urban Horse Thieves, Black Walnut Band, Stone Cold Miracle.) Based in Ithaca, the band includes bass player Nick Johnson (Lucky Old Sun), lead guitarist David McKinley (Stone Cold Miracle) and drummer Ian Cummings (Viva Mayhem.) Far from ordinary, their  original outlaw country music evokes scenes of hard scrabble, whiskey fueled, heartbreak and triumph.  

The Don Bazley Project has existed in different iterations over the past almost 20 years. Since the Fly Rods have disbanded, Don has put together a new version of the project that for this outing includes Barry Miller on drums, Scott Pardee on bass. Obscure Americana covers mixed with some music from the Fly Rods as well as some of Don's newer music. Pine Box opens the show with a set of Old Time with an edge.

The Blue Trio is classic organ/guitar/drums in the tradition of Jimmy Smith, Wes Montgomery, Groove Holmes.

Members of the trio are familiar faces in the Ithaca Music Scene:

Drums: Michael Wellen studied percussion at the University of Buffalo. He was a founding member of the infamous Zobo Funn Band and has more than 40 years of experience playing Jazz, Rock, Latin, Blues and other styles. Michael taught drums and percussion for more than 20 years at the Community School of Music and Arts in Ithaca, NY where he was also a member of the staff. Michael was also co-owner and audio engineer for Hillcrest Productions, a small recording studio. He has performed with the Zobo Funn Band, The Lowdown Alligator Jass Band, Rising Sign, Desperado, The Southern Tears, the Molly MacMillan Trio, the HotFoot Club, the Aceto Lieberman Quartet, and many others.

Guitar/Vocals: Alex Specker has been a founding member of several bands in the Ithaca area including Foots, Rising Sign, Swingsation, and more recently The Pelotones and filled in on guitar for many others. He studied guitar and music while growing up in Queens, NY; taking private lessons, minoring in music at The City College of NY (majoring in electrical engineering), and studying with jazz guitarist Bob Levine in Los Angeles. He is a master of elegant jazz and blues styles and has recently bloomed as a vocalist in the Blue Flames.

Keyboards/Vocals: Don Karr has been a singer/keyboardist/songwriter since the mid-’sixties covering a range of musical genres. In the Ithaca area, Don has performed with The Moontones, Slippery Hips, Straight Face, Moxie, Walt Amy and the Hep Cats, The Usual Suspects, Deek and the Dactyls, The Al Hartland Trio, The Immortal Jellyfish, and many others.

DJ Mike Judah specializing in Roots and Dancehall Reggae. He has been hosting Reggae Explosions on 92 WICB at Ithaca College for 17 years now. Voted Ithaca’s favorite radio show in the 2018 Ithaca Times Best of Ithaca Edition.

Tru Bleu is three musicians who are dedicated to writing, playing, and singing music with heart, soul, and meaning. Jennifer Giroux, Kip Opperman, and Paul Parks have been creating music in and around Ithaca and The Finger Lakes since 2010.

Reservations and Pre-Ordering required!

https://serendipitycatering.square.site/ic-commencement

Times TBD - Dependent on IC scheduling

Kitestring is a four-piece rock band featuring all-original music with influences from rootsy Americana, Blues, and Soul. The band is based in Ithaca, NY and centers around the unique talent of singer-songwriter Josh Ross whose lyrics explore personal experiences of love, loss, and redemption to weave meaningful messages that speak to the heart of listeners. Ross, whose fiery vocal performance makes it impossible not to feel something, is supported by bassist Jeremy Betterley, guitarist Marty Farchione, and drummer Phil Shay. Their song styles cover an eclectic range with the unifying thread of memorable melodies, clever lyrics and solid musicianship. The band is also known for live performances filled with energy, emotion and honesty. Kitestring’s sound is stripped down to the elements necessary to convey the message of their songs, focusing on the subtle and elegant rather than the flashy and over-the-top.

Madd Daddy is the father-daughter duo of Ted Walsh and Maddy Walsh, lead singer and songwriter of The Blind Spots. The two have performed together professionally since Maddy's graduation from graduate school a decade ago, and are set to release their first album on Father's Day (June 17), 2018 at Agava Restaurant in Ithaca.. A Madd Daddy show features original material and quirky, unusual covers, strong vocals and harmonies, and guitar.

Maddy's work with The Blind Spots has led to three studio albums, with a fourth scheduled for a September 8, 2018 release. She is also finalizing work on a solo album to be released soon. The Blind Spots have maintained a steady schedule of national touring in recent years

Ted Walsh currently plays bass with the Ithaca band GoGone, and has fronted or contributed to a number of other Central NY bands, including Unreal City, The Beauchesnes, Hall Pass, and Eddy's Basement. He can be seen throughout the summer on Tuesday evenings at Firelight Camps, behind LaTourelle Hotel In Ithaca. Guest artists will frequently be involved. Those 6-9 pm shows, which are free and open to the public, begin May 15.  

The Madd Daddy album includes original songs co-written by father and daughter, along with one cover song.

Luke transports us to the 1950s era of doo-wop, rock 'n' roll, and sock hop ballads with steely strumming & silvery vocals. A mix of original numbers and not-oft heard singles from the day.

Local singer songwriter who invites you and yours to come dance barefoot outside on the lawn. Plays a mix of original and fun covers using acoustic and electric guitar effects. His inspiring lyrics and detailed riffs guarantee a fun night for all music lovers.

The Backlot will be open on Mother’s Day featuring delicious brunch specials and cocktails!

Raedwald Howland-Bolton (Rad) is a guitar player and vocalist who performs delta and piedmont style blues. A performer with 15 years of experience, busking and playing at venues throughout NY state, a modern day blues man staying true to the Americana roots while expressing his authenticity.

The Backlot will be open on Cinco de Mayo with festive food and cocktail specials!

We’re excited to re-open with our upgraded kitchen space and a refreshed menu for the new year!