5/26/07
- Doug receives a call from the legendary Bruce Hornsby.
Legendary
pianist and songwriter Bruce Hornsby placed a call
to Doug today giving high praise for Doug's interpretation
/ recording of "On the Western Skyline."
The recording, which will be featured on Doug's next
record, offers a new take on the song with a softly
strummed guitar, plaintive vocals and a gentle beat
with piano and fiddle. The song features John Henry
Trinko on piano, Mike Leuci on drums, Doug Drewes
on double bass and Rob Hecht on fiddle. Bruce explains
that he hasn't played the tune in years and thanks
Doug for the "revitalization" of the song,
saying, "I like your version, I might play it
like you play it, Doug."
Doug
says of the call: "I am humbled and honored to
even know Bruce Hornsby listened to the recording,
let alone that he called me. It's a good day!"
Hear a recording of Bruce's message to Doug followed
by Doug's version of "On the Western Skyline
in it's entirety by clicking here.
5/25/07 - Doug prominently featured in upcoming
major documentary about subway busking and playing
in NYC.
Writer
/ actor / director Richard Cummings (Thirtysomething
/ Northern Exposer / Hill Street Blues, Hollywood
Shuffle) selected Doug and 4 other New York artists
to be the main focal points in his upcoming documentary
about subway busking and ny musicians. Cummings is
currently developing film and tv projects with Warner
Brothers. Doug and his music will be featured prominently
in the film. Visit: http://www.subwaybusker.com
for more info.
5/15/07 - Doug quoted and interviewed on NY1 -
New York's major cable news channel - Video available.
Doug
was interviewed by both WINS news radio and NY1 regarding
the Musicians Under New York auditions. See story.
Doug
was selected and recently performed at the Old Iron
Spring Music Festival in Saratoga, NY.
Doug
was recently selected and performed at the Dewey Beach
Americana Music Fest!
Spring
/ summer 2007 looks to be an exciting time for Doug
Kwartler as he gets set to release his 3rd solo cd
on Hollow Body Records.
Doug
recently completed a tour throughout NY state. Doug
also recently toured the state of North Carolina culminating
in a return home to the legendary Mercury Lounge in
Sept. 2006. More recently Doug participated in the
Dewey Beach Americana Festival and played an intimate
show at Stony Brook University.
Other
popular venues Doug has played are: Club Passim -
Boston, MA, Club Cafe - Pittsburgh, PA, Twilight -
Ybor City, Tampa, FL, Uncommon Ground in Chicago,
IL, Stony Brook University - Long Island, NY, Andrews
Upstairs - Atlanta, GA and many, many more.
The
new record, titled will feature sparser instrumentation
but will also showcase some jazz influenced arrangements
coupled with his signature rock sound.
1/4/07
- NEW DATES ADDED:
Doug
Kwartler Band @ Baggot Inn - Jan. 19, 2007 8pm
Foundry:
Friday, Feb. 23rd, 2007 9pm - Jessie's Roadhouse,
1810 Merrick, Road, Merrick, NY.
Doug Kwartler Band @ Old Iron Spring Festival - May
19, 2007 - 4pm
MORE DATES:
Astoria,
NY - Dec. 5th @ Rendezvous Cafe - 8pm
Wilmington, DE - Dec. 8th @ Homegrown Cafe
- 8pm
DOUG TO PLAY AT DEWEY BEACH AMERICANA FESTIVAL - OCT.
21ST, 2006
Doug
will play a set at the first annual Dewey Beach Americana
Music Festival. Joining Doug will be John Henry Trinko
on piano. www.deweybeachfest.com.
DOUG TO PLAY NYC'S MERCURY LOUNGE AND SETS 4 DATES
IN NORTH CAROLINA IN ANTICIPATION OF THE RELEASE OF
HIS 3rd SOLO CD.
Doug
with his group The Northerners @ Merc. Lng, NYC
Doug Kwartler will release his third solo cd on Hollow
Body Records this Fall 2006 or early Spring 2007.
The record will be titled Just About To Die
named after the title song which was inspired by Doug's
grandparents story of coming to America and living
in Brooklyn in the 1930's. Doug has set four dates
in North Carolina this September to test out the new
songs on the road. Doug will also play NYC's legendary
Mercury Lounge on Sunday, Sept. 24th at 7pm. Once
the record is released he will add more New York dates,
as well as more tour dates througout the country.
For more details on the North Carolina shows, visit
the concerts page. More
news to come.
NORTHERNERS
TO PLAY MERCURY LOUNGE NYC AGAIN ON OCT. 9TH, 2005
- SEE CONCERTS
DOUG
SINGS NATIONAL ANTHEM AND PERFORMS AT KATRINA BENEFIT
CONCERT ON 10/2/05. SEE
VIDEO.
HARRY CHAPIN CONCERT 8/29/05 (VIDEO BELOW):
Doug
was invited for the second year running to play at
the Harry Chapin tribute concert in Long Island. Like
last year, Doug's rendition of "Remember When
The Music" opened the show. This year the concert
was held at the Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre on Long
Island, which is where Harry was heading to perform
at a concert in 1981 when he was killed in an accident
on the Long Island Expressway. This year, fellow Long
Island songwriter Seth
Davis
joined
Doug for a rousing rendition of the song! See video:
High
Speed Low
Speed. (Real Player)
7/11/05
- * NORTHERNERS WOO MERCURY LOUNGE * HOLLOW BODY
RECORDS MUSIC FEST *
The
Northerners (Doug Kwartler, Austin
Kuebler, Michael Leuci) played to a packed house
at NYC's Mercury Lounge on Sat. July 2nd, opening
for New West Records recording artist Tim
Easton. The band eased through their set which
showcases the writing talents of all 3 members. The
crowd erupted in cheers when Doug sang some ornery
lines from his new yet to be released song "Just
About To Die." Other highlights included Leuci's
new one, "Brave" and Kueblers haunting "St.
Louis," from his upcoming cd.
HOLLOW
BODY ROOTS MUSIC FEST:
Look for the Northerners to play at the second (and
every) installment of the Hollow Body Records Roots
Music Festival on July 30th at the Conklin Barn in
Huntington. Other acts for the July 30th show include:
John-Flor Sisante, Rorie Kelly, Deborah Lombardi,
The Matthew Show and Seth Davis. For more information,
including links to the performers web sites check
out the festival web site at: www.dougmusic.com/fest
5/14/05
- NEW DATES, HOLLOW BODY MUSIC FEST, MORE NEWS:
More concert dates announced in the New York, PA and
Boston, NJ areas. The Northerners (featuring Doug,
Mike Leuci and Austin Kuebler) will be playing Twang
Monster Vol. 7 this Memorial Day weekend. Additionally,
Doug and Michael Leuci from the Northerners will be
playing at the Millennium
Music Fest. in Harrisburg, PA on Friday, June
24th and in Boston, MA on Sat. June 25th. The Boston
show will also feature Coppersonic,
who may join Doug and Mike on a few songs. Check out
the Concerts page for
details.
This summer, Doug's recording studio, Hollow Body
Studios, announced two summer concerts as part of
the Hollow Body Studios Roots
Music Festival. The festival will encompass
2 nights, one on June 4th and one on July 30th, 2005
in Huntington, NY at The Conklin
Barn. The festival will feature roots / americana
/ folk acts from the LI / NYC area. More info to come.
Early acts signed up for June 4th are: The Northerners,
Miles
To Dayson and John
Bechoff. Early acts signed up for July 30th include
Alli
Collis.
4/2/05
*NEW REVIEW *THE NORTHERNERS
*NEW
DATES
Read the new review of Silver Meteor from Austin,
Tx magazine Pop Culture Press - "The lyrics
are fantastic..." Read
the full review.
Doug
has formed a side project with fellow songwriters
and long-time compatriots Michael Leuci and Austin
Kuebler called, "The Northerners." The
group will showcase songs from all 3 songwriters and
will feature a wide array of musical arrangments.
A fourth member may be added in the future. Currently,
"The Northerners" are only doing occasional
live shows, however a record is not out of the question.
"It's not really anything new, we've played together
for a while now." Kwartler says, adding, "It's
just a bit more formal now, but, then again, not really."
Visit The
Northerners web site.
Doug
has some new dates coming up. May 6th "The Northerners"
play at the Bellmore Theatre in Bellmore, NY, May
17th sees Doug reuniting with Foundry for a benefit
concert. And June 18th sees Doug returning to the
Pisces
Cafe in Babylon, NY. More shows will be added
soon. Keep checking the concert page.
1/10/05
- DOUG KWARTLER TO PLAY AT BENEFIT CONCERT FOR TSUNAMI
RELIEF. Long
Island songwriter Doug Kwartler will perform at the
first Tsunami Benefit Relief: Unplugged concert, taking
place on Sat. Jan 22nd. The concert (the first of
3 weekly events) is being organized by Long Island
songwriters John-Flor Sisante and Joseph Andre and
will take place at the Unitarian Universalist Church,
28 Brentwood Road, Bay Shore, NY 631.968.0667. All
proceeds will benefit Tsunami relief. Doug opens the
show at 6pm. All sales from Doug's cd's will go towards
the charity. Please click
here or above banner to visit benefit web site.
1/3/05
- $135.00 RAISED AND DONATED TO RED CROSS FOR TSUNAMI
RELIEF. Thanks
to all who came down to the show and purchased cd's
at Thursday's show. With your help we raised $135.00
which was donated today to the Red Cross specifically
for aid to those affected by the Tsunami's. More news
soon.
12/27/04 - SPECIAL MESSAGE: ALL PROCEEDS
FOR THURSDAY'S SHOW AT THE BAGGOT INN WILL GO TO THE
RED CROSS FOR DISASTER RELIEF TO HELP TSUNAMI VICTIMS.
If you attend the Doug Kwartler Band show in NYC this
Thurs. at The Baggot Inn, your entry cover of $5.00
(minus what the club takes) will be donated to The
Red Cross to help Tsunami victims in Asia, India
and other areas affected. In addition, all
cd sale proceeds for any Doug Kwartler cd sold at
the show will be donated as well. Please come down
to hear the music and help out during this holiday
season in this time of need. Thanks. - Doug Kwartler
12/24/04
- Niek De Boer of AltCountry.nl names
Silver Meteor as one of the Top 10 CD's
of 2004! -
Click here for the link. Here's his list below:
NIEK
DE BOER - ALTCOUNTRY.NL
1.
Stephen Simmons- Last Call.
2. Joe West- South Dakota Hairdo
3. Ron Sexsmith-Retriever
4. Jeff Finlin-Epinonymous
5. Eliza Gilkyson-Land of Milk and Honey
6. Nels Andrews-Sunday Shoes
7. JW Roy-Kitchen Table Blues
8. Doug Kwartler-Silver meteor
9. Dave McCann-Country Medicine
10. Loomer-Love is a Dull Instrument
12/16/04-
New
Review: AltCountry.nl
gives Silver Meteor 4-Horses and says it "surpases
his debut." "I have to reconsider my year
of best records." Click
here to read more (in English). Click
here to visit actual web site.
12/14/04-
Esther
Steckenberg, 93 years old, passed away this evening.
 |
Some
words and things I best associate with her:
Irving
Steckenberg
– her husband, who passed Feb. 1990
Wheat
germ – (put it on everything)
Kasha Varnishkes (she made the best)
Potato Latke’s (also the best)
The Matzo Mobile (my grandfathers 1964 (or
around there) Green Dodge Coronet that my grandmother
filled with food and shmatas and junk. Drove my grandfather
crazy.
82nd St. - Bensonhurst (where they lived for
40 years)
“39 Plus” – her response whenever
someone asked her age, even when she was in her 80’s
“Big Boy” – what she called
my grandfather to get under his skin, during their
many heated “conversations” over their 50+
years of marriage
Borscht – of course
All the Lullaby’s she used to sing to
me and my brother when we used to sleep over at their
house.
Jack La Lane – who she exercised with
for many many years (watching him on tv.)
Delray Beach, Florida – where she lived
for the past 15 or so years.
Israel – where she visited with my grandfather
some 25 years ago and felt truly “at home.”
My mom – who despite how “difficult”
grandma Esther made her life, loved her dearly.
“I’m
not going to let you go home” – what
she said to me every day these last two weeks when
I came to visit her.
She
was a powerful, powerful, determined woman and the
world will not be the same without her.
-Doug
Kwartler
11/29/04-
New
review from Freight Train Boogie.com!
"I
think that Doug Kwartler is on a roll here. The tapestry
of the Americana landscape that he started to weave
in Halfway
House is expanded in this, his second solo outing."
Visit the Press page to read
full review.
Or visit: www.freighttrainboogie.com
11/22/04- New
review from Americana-UK!
"The
message is clear: look out Ryan and co. If there is
any justice then Silver Meteor should do for Doug
Kwartler what Gold did for Ryan Adams and The Art
Of Self Destruction did for Jesse Malin. Whether it
catapults Kwartler into the national limelight may
be in the lap of the gods but Silver Meteor sends
out a clear and unequivocal message, there's a new
kid in town."
Visit the Press page to read
full review. Or
visit: www.americana-uk.com
10/15/04- Read
about Doug in today's "The News Journal"
in Wilmington, DE. Columnist
Ryan Cormier of the News Journal says: “Listening
to his songs, including "Wilmington," you
can tell that Kwartler grew up listening to artists
like Bruce Springsteen and Tom Petty. Just like his
core influences, he too can combine rock with country
and folk music, creating his own engaging sound without
re-treading well-worn musical paths.”
Click
here to
read the full story and get a free download of "Wilmington."
9/29/04
-
Doug Kwartler to release second solo cd on October
12, 2004, entitled: Silver Meteor. Launches
tour and revamped web presence.
Doug Kwartler will officially release his second full-length
solo cd, entitled, Silver Meteor, on Tues.
October 12th, 2004. The release, on Kwartler's own
Hollow Body Records, will coincide with concert dates
in the U.S. lasting through the end of October. The
first block of dates kick off on Oct. 8th in Buffalo,
NY followed by dates in the midwest and east coast
and will culminate with a show in Kwartler's home
base of NYC at a yet to be determined venue.
Silver Meteor features 10 brand new Kwartler
originals along with two bonus tracks, one of which
is a live version of his hit "Mars" from
Doug's 2003 solo debut, Halfway House.
Halfway House received a host of 4 - star reviews
along with triple A and Americana radio airplay in
the US and abroad.
Guest musicians on Silver Meteor feature; guitarist,
Mark Spencer (Jay Farrar, Lisa Loeb, Blood Oranges,)
- fiddler and founding member of The Mammals, Alicia
Jo Rabins - multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Michael
Leuci - NY based songwriter, Austin Kuebler - Virginia
based songwriter Alli Collis - double bassist Chris
Luard and drummer Mike Silliman.
Additionally,
Doug's web site: dougmusic.com has been completely
revamped with a new design reflecting the new cd's
artwork.
Current
confirmed east coast and midwest dates
include:
Thurs.
Sept. 30th @ Pisces Cafe, Babylon, NY
Wed. Oct. 6th @ Nawlin's Grille, Mineola, NY
Fri. Oct. 8th @ Broadway Joe's, Buffalo, NY
Sat. Oct. 9th @ Four Friends, Grand Rapids, MI
Sun. Oct. 10th @ Uncommon Ground, Chicago, IL
Mon. Oct. 11th @ Club Cafe, Pittsburgh, PA
Fri. Oct. 15th @ Mad Donkey, Philadelphia, PA
