Matilda Mother band write songs of New York venues, extract adventures into recordings and filmings. Walk, get noticed, shoot photographs and organize new gigs. New encounters and contacts when arranging gigs and visting music bars. famous and forgotten in 15 minutes.
Searching new venues, encounters and songs. We walked towards Hudson River and found ”Little Island”, which is built 2021. It stands on top of concrete pillars, and they look like fungus. We noticed a lot of potential filming spots there and our experiences ended to a song called Foggy Day.
Very early in the mornings the trash man patrol is keeping the city clean. Every day a treasure hunt is like finder keepers and the first one on the scene is picking the raisins from the bun. Keep New York kleen.
We found this gallery by accident while walking through Soho. We were trying to get to East Village record stores. The Bob Dylan picture on the outside seemed to invite us in. The very friendly staff was keen on giving more information about the exhibition and the works at display. Overall there was relaxed New York Vibe. There were paintings from Bob Dylan, Richard Hambleton, Risk and Paul Kenton, James McQueen and even Johnny Depp has started to sell his paintings.
The staff even gave us tips about open mics around, because we told about our plans to go and play in some. One of them told, that his father use to go and play in open mics. ”I`m not attending then, I don’t want to disturb his concentration”, she said and ended: ”nothing like that I wouldn’t support him, though”.
At Ergot Records we bought Elephants Memory ”Take it to the streets” and Velvet Undergrounds ”The other side of the Mirror”. We asked, if we can give two our latest LP: s and if they like, they can sell them. It was difficult to ask, but they got interested, so we plan to visit Ergot Records again some of these days. They always play esoteric music, when you stop in. It is one of the best record stores in New York and nice place to find good music. Feel the true East Village spirit.
Searching for new songs. Treasure hunt was successful also in A1 record store. We found Ravi Shankar, Ali Akbar Khan Fantasy 2LP, Hugh Masekelas (GRRR) and the LP from year 1972 called ”Home is where the music is”. That album is one of the albums you must hear before you die. (1001 albums you must hear before you die. )
We found ”Frankie Lymon The Teenagers” 5 record set, complete recordings. Frankie Lymon´s career started from 13 years old boy and as a hit artist lasted 18 months. What an adventure for a young boy. As a teenager star, his life went downward path after that. There were many attempts to save his career with many various managers and record companies of which none succeeded. One reason must be, that his voice changed after voice transition and it didn´t have the special young and bubbly sound anymore. This album concentrates on the glory days of Frankie Lymon and Teenagers.
I have always had strange music taste. I like more songs and music out of mainstream. I have heard the good black blues and jazz as a child because of my big brother, who bought only good records. Tomi has spoiled my weird taste more and we have been listening wonderful, strange stuff as Metal machine music by Lou Reed, Troggs, Fugs, Ornette Coleman, Sonny and Linda Sharrock, La Monte Young and then the classics by Mike Bloomfield, Ravi Shankar, etc…
We’ve talked about how hard it is to make music as an unsigned artist if you don’t have a name. As a musician, you should be famous to do real gigs, you should have a label and a manager to sort things out and so on. Although, it would be easier to focus on the music without this endless adjustment and arrangement. But wouldn’t there be a lot of people and daily contacts and all that goes with signed artists and how would you find time to do the things you want to do?
Many songs written during this visit from 5 to 15 March 2024 would remain unwritten if we could not walk the streets in peace and observe people. Struggle and difficulties are also part of the themes in the lyrics used in our songs.
Why stories about hit songs and hit artists are almost always sad stories and full of personal tragedies. Like the Frankie Lymon story.
There is lot of good musicians everywhere. Many are good, and they enjoy playing or have some other need or reason to do that. Maybe that is as important, that have a career and be famous. Many obviously enjoy playing with others, as we have seen here in open mics. You don´t hear so many songwriters in open venues.
I have to say that neither of us likes to perform or be in the spotlight, we are both quite shy and don’t like to be the center of attention. I think the big venue is easier. Playing and performing is challenging, I never know what song Tomi is going to play, and he never plays them the same way twice anyway. If we had a set list, it wouldn´t work for us. I personally hear the beats in my head, always have and want to play drums. With drums it is easier to react and follow the lead guitar too, though sometimes I found my self playing a song I have never tried before with drums as in Moshava Coffee in November 2023 in Village Jam, song was Golden Rule.
Tomi has a strange relationship with performing. He just does what a man must do but doesn’t like all the rituals and playing ”by the rules”. But he has a very good rhythm, a pulse, and he breaks the rhythms but never misses a beat. Sometimes he plays an extra half beat, and you just must catch it very quickly.
Only thing that really gets him fired up is finding a new vinyl LP and playing along. He can’t do promotional stuff at all. He doesn’t think so. It looks like he writes the song with his left hand, very fast. I don’t do that, he said, I always try to put something into every new song I write that I’ve never done before.
Little island is wonderful outdoor venue for filming. The day was sunny and we managed to film ”Bulleting News” song in Little Island in front of spinning spiral. That spiral reminds the old Vertigo Label. Bulleting News was one sentence written on the street nearby. The filming of this new song wasn’t easy, because the Island is very popular and when you play outside, you get noticed. After filming we left early aiming to west upper side from 14th St. The subject of the day was still Frankie Lymon and his short career. We talked a lot during a long walk to 86th St. They organize an open mic venue in a chapel every Friday.
We decide not to go in and participate, but instead we enjoyed almost summery afternoon in Central Park. There was rhythm in the air, lot of performers and one drummer playing with backing tape. We filmed ”Nursery Rhyme” on a small pier. It wasn’t easy, cause every corner was crowded. Even during filming some tourist groups forced themselves to the background starting to babble very loudly. We usually just film by one shot and the final soundtrack is from film, sometimes only strengthening the loudness.
The funniest thing in Central Park was, that we met two Finnish people: a mother and her daughter. They were on the same flight when we came. They were enjoying their visit, trying to save some money as we and their feet were full of blisters as ours and the mother complained, that her osteoporosis knees were about to burst. Just some Finns can understand the everyday comedy and the straight way to express things. It is not like small talk.” We are not going to some bar, they are so expensive”, mother claimed ”instead we bought few beers and plan to drink in the park.” Oh lord, hope they not got arrested in Central Park by NYPD.
In the night the Instagram was burning and exploding. Our interview in the street one year ago was spreading like wildfire. ”They are so cute” ”what is dancer from the left side?” ”Tommy is a black horse” and all that, because Ninel talked over her head. The small episode ended to song ”Sidewalk”, which Tomi wrote the next morning from interview. ”Everyone will get their 15 minutes of fame”, as Andy Warhol said. Nowadays it is maximum 15 seconds. Everyone wants to get noticed.
Today was a big day. We delivered LP ”Sound Paintings” to Ergot Records, 32 E 2nd St, NYC. The day turned rainy; we left East Village trying to get over Williamsburg’s bridge to open mic jam in Pink cafe in Brooklyn. We just gave up, because would need a diving suite in order to get there even somewhat dry.
Earlier we forgot a bag with 60´s magic instrument and lo and behold hours later a lovely park guide just got it from the lost and found. That episode ended to song called ”Don’t you just love the city?”
Today we finally found out that we have a gig at Hard Rock Roihuvuori, Finland on April 18, 2024. First, it was canceled on March 28, 2024, when we finally got the other two bands in order. Liisa Akimof and Maritta Kuula would be our first choices if they have time in their calendars on the day just agreed. We even tried to get Jimi Tenor booked and it was nice to talk to him on the phone at the airport when we were leaving for New York on March 5, 2024. Signed artists don´t necessarily do gigs with unknown bands. He was very supportive and told that Hard Rock House Roihuvuori is very open to all kinds of music. We received upcoming Jaanat and Kaisu Kurki on April 18, 2024, so the matter is finally resolved. It’s hard to get gigs, hard to fix them, hard to promote, on the other hand it’s nice to be independent, fly to New York and shoot on the streets and record new fresh material.
At last today we found one open mic and got enough early at Sour Mouse, Delancey St. 101. It was jazz Jam, where you can do one standard song with house band. There is always one featured artist and 10.3.2024 it was trumpetist Lauren Reilly. We met singer Big Mama there and after her charismatic performance we chatted with her. When she performs, she courages the players very nicely and all the people in jam: go and do your thing on stage.
It was not possible to perform own material there, just standards allowed, said the host lady. Big mama promised to introduce us to blues house band later in the week, so we planned to get there next Tuesday. Must say, that there is lot of good pianists in venues we participated. The singer song open mics are separated from Jazz and blues nights. As an improvising band we are heading more to places, where you can do anything you want.
Our post at google maps: Sour Mouse: come and watch or play at jazz jams on Sundays or at blues jams on Tuesdays with house band. Always free entrance and very friendly personell. You can also play billiard or various other games with friends face to face.
When we left Jorei jazz jams one girl stopped us in the street. She was quite exited saying I saw you on insta and you are so cute. She was nice girl, and we gave our flyer to her. It was strange to be recognized on the street especially in New York.
11.3.2024
We took some photos for the gig (18.4.2024 Hard Rock Roihuvuori)https://hardrockhouse.fi and posted it. It took time to write promotional texts for three bands including us.
Pow – Spring Extravaganza
Pow ensimmäisenä hulvaton Kaisu Kurki valaisee estradin säestäen itseään ukulelen voimin
Pow sitten huippusuosittu bändi Jaanat soittaa hurmaavan naisrumpalin sykkeessä rokkia ja punkkia ja on ihan parhaita
Pow lopuksi soittaa alternative rock duo Matilda Mother band ja kosminen boogie leijuu avaruuteen asti.
That’s why we didn’t walk in the city so much and it was quite windy too. Instead we recorded two new songs freshly written in the same morning: ”walking in Chinatown” and ”Foggy Day”.
In the evening we went to open mic at Bleecker Street, the bar called ”Red Lion”. This was blues jam and after negotiation we got a spot but didn’t get a chance to play our own song as promised. Tomi could have been taken some of his easier blues songs and could have been leaded the band as he did with success in Moshava Coffee last November. ”You don´t fit the formula we are doing here” the host lady claimed. Any way the house drummer liked our style and was quite exited, that Ninel plays drums standing. Straight quote from song called Free Wind: ”concrete boots, cast iron suite, twelve bar prison, standard competition”. This story of the evening ended to lyrics of this song.
When we left the bar, one black man was knocking rhythm against to wall and was just singing some own words. He sounded so good and had a beat in his heart. It surprises every time, that you just can hear so good music in the streets and that man wiped the floor with every wanna be in the ”Red Lion”.
12.3.2024
This day we walked a lot with instruments with us. The day wasn’t so warm than the day before. We drank coffee at Factory Tamal, Ludlow St. 34. Cozy nice place with reasonable prices. It situated near the very busy Manhattan bridge area; still like a tranquil haven. Co- incidentally it located in the same block, where Velvet Underground recorded their first demos, in the Ludlow Street 56.
Big mama introduced us to house band Blues Rocket in Sour Mouse, Delancey st.101. There was nice guys and one man had even performed in Finland with Sleepy LaBeef. Actually a Finnish Label Rock House has published some of his records.
We performed our own song Oceanville, Brownsville Pim & Pom Take New York – Festivals and recording sessions (written in New York July 2023) with bass player, pianist and additional guitarist as Tomi was lead guitar, lead singer and Ninel was on drums. ”Key G and not 12 bar blues, just follow was the humble request to band” Got a feeling, that they enjoyed playing with us, though you need to be focused if the song is not familiar.
The audience liked too, and it was nice talking with some New Yorkers too. They were pleased to hear, that we really like New York atmosphere and want to visit again.
Long all day walks again today. We took some photos, filmed and walked to East River and saw full lasted tugboat passing by. East river floated somehow calm, but it had unpredictable tone. Tugboat continued to south toward Liberty Statue. Beauty and beast on the air. You must be careful, if you have stepped out from main streets: keep on going and don’t stop.
There is always some performance going on, mostly in parks, sometimes on streets, but they are more like statements. Yesterday we heard saxophone player on Charlie Parker’s place and today saw a wildly twirling dancing man on Union Square. https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/union-square-parkThe deep backbeat on drums travelled far and gathered people together.
Otto’s Shrunken Head´s open mic is one of the most popular in New York. There is rappers, songwriters, country guys, spoken word, up and coming, down and going artists, amateurs as well as professional singers, young and old, all together…. And night after night Ira Zadikovhttps://www.facebook.com/ira.zadikow takes care of stage, mixing etc… we came around six and left about 12. This was second time we participated this open mic.
We get chance to perform quite late and we did two songs: Spring Lady and Glamour Girl. The folks really liked, and we got some nice videos too and they are in our you tube channel. One nice guy was seeking artists to whom he wants to arrange gigs and we talked with him. If we have a chance to visit New York next September, whoever knows if we could get a proper longer set on stage.
We took lot of photos, posted some of them in google too.
Dream House – This is truly special place in New York, we came all the way from Finland to enjoy continuous drone of Sine waves by La Monte Young and magenta lights by Marian Zazeela. The place is little bit difficult to find, but once you get there, you know this is home.
Ergot Records – One of the best record stores in New York. They always play very esoteric music, when you stop in. Feel the true East Village spirit. A nice place to find good music.
Factory Tamal – Cozy nice place with reasonable prices. Situated near the very busy Manhattan bridge area, still like a tranquil haven. Co-incidentally on the same block at Ludlow street, where Velvet Underground recorded their first demo. (Ludlow street 36 Tamal)
West 1, 395 9th Av, We were walking from Central Park back to 14th St as the city was getting dark. The glass buildings were shining bright and were reflected in the darkening evening and creating a Christmas tree like vision. What a place to rest for a while.
Scrambel, Lots of nice, fresh vegetables in the portions and tasty, colorful food. What caught our attention was the colorful and beautiful flower decorations outside the windows.
Songs written and recorded during this visit: Bulleting News, Talk about recycling, Nursery Rhymes, O Happy Time, Walking in Chinatown, Don’t you just love the City, Foggy Day, Free Wind, Ceremony in Soho, New Generation, Nocturnal Vision. Lyrics written to much more of songs.
