Friday, April 26, 2019
7 p.m., Page Hall, 135 Western Avenue, University at Albany Downtown Campus.

Free and open to the public.

From top left, Taina Asili, Greg Haymes, Michael Eck, and Bryan "Dr. Buggy Jive" Thomas

Capital Region’s most acclaimed singer-songwriters will talk about the challenges and pleasures of their work.

Taina Asili, musician and activist, is the leader of local AfroLatin fusion group, La Banda Rebelde. Billboard featured her in a list of “11 Songs of Protest & Resistance by Latino Artists,” and The Huffington Post named her #2 on a list of “12 Freedom Fighting Bands To Get You Through the Trump Years.” Her songs are frequently featured on Democracy Now!

Michael Eck, writer, musician and host of WAMC’s American Roots Series, has produced four solo albums and is a member of several local bands.

The Village Voice said, “Somewhere between lovelorn cowpoke and sardonic folkster is nose-pierced Albany NY dad Michael Eck, whose sharp lyrics and quick-witted guitar reflect all over like a broken mirror and shine with liberation like a tossed-aside wedding ring.”

Bryan "Buggy Jive" Thomas evokes Prince and Lenny Kravitz, but with a strong literary hook. The Times Union named him “Best Male Singer-Songwriter” for his 1999 acoustic hip-hop debut, "Radio Plastic Jennifer," and his soul rock epic "Ones and Zeros" was Metroland’s 2002 “Album of the Year.” His new music video, “Stole My Stealing from Eliot,” a quirky homage to T. S. Eliot shot in London, Paris and Albany, is available on YouTube.

We join the Capital Region music community in mourning the passing of musician and journalist Greg Haymes, who died Wednesday, April 10. Greg had been scheduled with Taina, Michael, and Bryan on our Art of Songwriting panel discussion.

Taina Asili - "Freedom" (featuring Michael Reyes)

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"I Wanna Be A Lifeguard" by Blotto

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Michael Eck sings Bob Dylan's "Song to Woody"

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"Stole My Stealing from Eliot" - Buggy Jive