Three days of MusicFest 2009 brought Rock, Hip Hop, Pop and Jazz to Downtown New York. The first day, August, 27th, in City Hall Park Diane Birch, Jemina Pearl, The Smithereens.

The second day, August 28th, rain moved the J&R MusicFest indoors to the J&R Music World stage were a packed house enjoyed powerful performances by
Melinda Watts, J Moss, Clipse, and Mario.

The third day, August 29th, the MusicFest was back to City Hall Park, a fantastic show that moved musically from Hip Hop to Pop to Jazz. Performers were
KRS-One and Buckshot, LeToya,
Nikki Yanofsky, Roberta Gambarini and Roy Hargrove.
Continue Reading »

Local New York TV, The CW11 ran this piece on our J&R MusicFest, featuring Friday’s headliner, Mario.

The first day of MusicFest 2009 kicked off the three day free music festival by Rocking Downtown New York’s City Hall Park. Opener, Diane Birch’s delightful feminine beauty did not prepare the audience for the infectious joyful bounce of her country-tinged boogie.

The second act, the tough, bratty rocker, Jemina Pearl and her 4 piece band brought punky, poppy animation that had the audience jumping and herself ending by falling to the stage.

Fulfilling the headlining slot was the strong, power-pop rock of veterans, The Smithereens, Continue Reading »

Jemina Pearl will perform free in City Hall Park Thursday, August 27th at 6 pm, right after Diane Birch opens the show at 5 pm and just before headliners, The Smithereens at 7 pm.

Upon the break up of “Be Your Own Pet”, singer Jemina Pearl, daughter of rock photographer and musician, Jimmy Abegg, packed up her belongings - clothes, guitar, hair dye - and moved from Nashville to New York, formed a new band with Maxwell Peebles on rhythm guitar, Ben Pearson on bass, Erik Ratensperger on drums, and John Eatherly on lead guitar. They’ve been recording at The Fort in Bushwick, Brooklyn preparing for a fall tour.
Continue Reading »

Although our MusicFest 2009 is centered an amazing three day schedule of brilliant artists performing for free outdoors in City Hall Park, Manhattan, if you add in this week’s schedule of free, live performances in J&R Music World across the street on Park Row, it is five days of live music.

This week’s music starts Tuesday, August 25th at 12:30 pm with two simultaneous performances: Jazz wunderkinder pianist, Eldar, upstairs in J&R’s Jazz Store (23 Park Row, 2nd Floor) and the dancehall-tinged, four-part harmonies of T.O.K. downstairs in the Pop Music Store (23 Park Row, 1st Floor). In both cases, the performances will be followed by autograph signings.
Continue Reading »