Dan Smalls Presents

Event Detail

Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds w/ Stone Cold Miracle

Ages 18+ Only
at The Dock
415 Taughannock Blvd, Ithaca, NY 14850
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“fiery brass- and gospel-infused funk” - LA Times “…stick-to-your-ribs style rock…” - Wall Street Journal “Sister Sparrow, Arleigh Kincheloe’s nom de disque, is a soul queen with a voice strong and raspy enough to compete with riffing horns and clipped funk beats.” - Washington Post “…frontwoman Arleigh Kincheloe has one of the biggest voices in the soul-funk business. Prepare to be blown away.” - Baltimore Sun “What do you get when you cross Amy Winehouse and Tina Turner with Mick Jagger…?” - Glamour ”Arleigh Kincheloe…presides over eight musicians with smoldering intensity, and her body language is as sly and stirring as her bluesy voice” - New Yorker What It’s All About: Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds is an eight-piece powerhouse that puts a modern spin on classic soul. The band is led by Arleigh Kincheloe (Sister Sparrow), whose astoundingly powerful voice and sly demeanor make for a spellbinding presence onstage. She is backed by the mighty force of The Dirty Birds, a flock of seven men who masterfully lay down thundering grooves and soaring melodies. While each of the Birds are capable of lighting up the stage with jaw-dropping displays of musicianship, it’s clear they’re focused on delivering the band’s infectious music as a single entity. Simply put, the band’s live show is explosive. The Latest 2012 was a breakout year for the eight piece soul/rock outfit Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds. The band closed out the year with two nights of opening for Gov’t Mule, which included a night at the famed Beacon Theatre in New York. They played more than 150 shows in 35 states for the second year in a row, and their high-energy show is in high demand after scorching sets at festivals as Bonnaroo, Mountain Jam’s main stage, the Voodoo Experience, and the Clearwater Jazz Holiday, where they opened for The Avett Brothers. The year included a number of accolades for the band – selling out the Independent in San Francisco with Rebirth Brass Band, opening for Fitz and the Tantrums, Counting Crows, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, and a three week run with Allen Stone that culminated in an Austin City Limits late night set. In February, they played a Midnight Ramble at Levon Helm’s studios, where they shared the stage with Warren Haynes (Allman Brothers, Gov’t Mule) and Donald Fagen (Steely Dan). Band History The band’s journey is steeped in family and life-long friendships. Dynamic singer and front-woman Sister Sparrow first began penning tunes in the alleyways and back roads between New York City and the Catskill Mountains as a teenager. Though already aided and abetted by her harmonica-shredding brother Jackson, it was clear to her that a large, powerful band was needed to do justice to the songs she was crafting. The brother and sister team called upon their cousin Bram, a California-bred drummer of considerable prowess, to help them assemble a super-band of epic proportions. Bram brought in childhood friends J.J. Byars (alto saxophone) and Ryan Snow (trombone), and Ryan called upon baritone saxophonist and close friend Johnny Butler. The trumpet chair changed hands until March 2011, when the addition of trumpeter Phil Rodriguez solidified the unstoppable force of the virtuosic Dirty Birds’ horns. The rhythm section was filled out by guitarist Sasha Brown and bassist Aidan Carroll, a thundering tandem that proved to be the perfect engineers of the hard-driving, bare-knuckle grooves that propel this ferocious group. The band first got together in September 2008. It was evident from the start that the deep connections among its members translated directly to the music they made together. While Sister Sparrow is the principal songwriter and unifying voice of the band, the entire band has always worked collaboratively on arrangements. The result is musical creativity and diversity seldom seen in groups of this size and character. By the middle of 2009, Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds were packing New York’s Rockwood Music Hall every Saturday night, holding down a five-month-long residency that built them a reputation for being one of the funkiest, tightest groups in the city. With the strength of their live show in mind, the band recorded its debut album (released in November 2010) at a single twelve hour session at New York’s famed Avatar Studios. When the band embarked on their first tour at the end of April 2011, they set out with the mission of taking the country by storm. By the end of the year, they had driven over 50,000 miles to play 150 shows in 28 states. They exploded onto the scene, opening for Dr. John, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, and the Soul Rebels Brass Band, and appeared at such festivals as Gathering of the Vibes, Bear Creek, and late night at Jazz Fest in New Orleans. The band is building a following the old-fashioned way – and the demand for their infectious music has kept them on a relentless tour schedule across the country. Fueled by the band’s boundless energy, every show turns into a wild dance party, and the Dirty Birds are establishing a rabid following of fans eager to receive a potent dose of good times, delivered by the band night after night. Sister Sparrow’s commanding stage presence alone is more than enough to dazzle audiences, but the magic doesn’t end with her: the band’s palpable camaraderie, undeniable talent and passion for music makes for a contagious combination that is taking the country by storm. Sister Sparrow & The Dirty Birds’ blend of seductive soul and dirty blues-rock reminds audiences why they love live music. Band Members: Arleigh Kincheloe – vocals Jackson Kincheloe – harmonica Bram Kincheloe – drums Sasha Brown – guitar Josh Myers – bass Phil Rodriguez – trumpet Ryan Snow – trombone Brian Graham – baritone sax More From the Press: “They may be from Brooklyn, but the fiery brass- and gospel-infused funk emanating from Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds is rooted in Memphis soul. Their rhythmic wheelhouse combines big-city grit and down-home sweetness with a little bit of Americana twang.” – LA Times “If you’ve had a hankering to get down and dirty with some funky old soul, then this nonet, featuring powerhouse vocalist Arleigh Kincheloe and Berklee grad Sasha Brown on guitar, may have just what you need” - Boston Globe “‘Band On The Verge’… the nine-person, horn-driven band prove that they can swagger as well as skank—and get bluesy and torchy when they need to.” – Relix “a seriously funky collective capable of bringing elements of deep soul, New Orleans funk, Stax/Memphis stylings and earthy R&B together in a manner that makes the sentient mammal want to shake it” - Buffalo News “…rollicking blend of soul, funk and backwoods Americana rock ’n’ roll, which draws even indifferent hipsters onto the dance floor.” - New York Daily News “’Make It Rain’, Sister Sparrow & the Dirty Birds
Funky horns and Arleigh Kincheloe’s sultry, sassy vocals propel this track from new ‘Pound of Dirt.’” – The Playlist: USA Today “The forefront of soul/funk bands to be recognized” - MusicMarauders.com “…this nine-piece soul-rock crew does red-hot and brassy ‘60’s soul with a scraggly blues edge.” – M Music & Musicians Magazine

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