Learn what's happenig in the world of Peter & the Master Keys.
Well, it's not easy. As the Royal Princess pulled out from the dock in Weehawken, NJ into the Hudson river, we were rocking and swaying so much with the wakes from other boats that it was quite difficult to stand and play upright bass. Fortunately, once we got underway things smoothed out and we were OK. This gig was for a pre-Indian wedding and you can see the older crowd was really getting into it. I'd like to thank NY Boat Charter for the video. Enjoy!
Rooftop season may be drawing to a close but here's a little secret for you: there is about a month left and, once it starts to get a little chilly, the folks at PHD Terrace have a very nice enclosure that they erect over the roof to keep the party going through the winter.
I've been playing this weekly gig with the great Nick Palumbo for over 6 months now and it keeps getting better. We've been playing classic Rock 'n Roll from the 50s and 60s with some Italian songs thrown in to create a vibe for the Italian themed event.
If you haven't been, PHD Terrace is a beautiful rooftop space in midtown Manhattan and epitomizes the kind of classy nightlife that many people seek out in the Big Apple. We hope to see you there one day!
We're in the big leagues now. Ivy, that is. The band was invited to play for the incoming class of graduate students at Columbia University this past Monday and we happily bestowed them with bluesy wisdom as they gnoshed on Columbia branded cupcakes and blue (school colors) champagne! What a great crowd of bright-eyed PHDs to be, all eager to meet one another and get to know some of their professors.
You can't see it in these photos but we played for a crowd of about 1,500 people under a huge tent covering most of Low Plaza.
Thanks again to the folks at Columbia for making this possible!
Don't hate me because I'm beautiful! Just kidding. This amazing photo by Alex Nero appeared in the online Vogue Magazine this week along with a great article about a huge immersive party called 'You Are So Lucky' that I was part of a couple weeks back. It was really a sight to behold, everyone was decked out in their finest regalia, be it forest nymph face paint or Egyptian head dress. I was playing in a room curated by the event producer, Shanghai Mermaid, with the fabulous singer, Megg Farrell. This experience was just one facet of a huge immersive experience that took over the grounds of an historic mansion in Yonkers for 5,000 guests! You can read all about it and see more photos here.
"I like New York in June..." Well it's shaping up to be a beautiful spring in the big city and the Master Keys have been doing more and more gigs on rooftops all over town. Here's a couple of shots from the Starret Le-High building in Chelsea. We played there last week for a building wide rooftop event where they screened the classic film, An Affair to Remember. Later on in the evening we were treated to a beautiful sunset over the Hudson river!
This past Saturday was one of those perfect NYC weather days and we were fortunate to be invited to play a birthday party on a beautiful private rooftop in SOHO, New York. There's nothing like playing for gracious hosts with a talented band on a beautiful spring day in the city!
We had an amazing time at Blooming Hill farm this past weekend in upstate NY! The bride had requested Hava Nagila, a traditional song played at Jewish weddings, but then got a little shy and changed her mind. Fortunately, a friend or two of hers assured us that it would go over well and boy did it ever! Make sure you watch till the end.
We celebrated the music of the great Chuck Berry this past Monday at the Wayland in New York's East Village. It was a great chance to bring together many fantastic musicians and have a lot of fun with the music. I think we had about a dozen folks stop by in addition to the smokin' house band of Eric Finland, Erik Blicker, Alex Raderman and yours truly. Somehow I have to find out how to have another great party like this again. In the meantime, check out my main man, Nick Palumbo doing Johnny B. Goode!
New York is well known for it's vibrant theater scene yet there is much more going on than meets the eye. There is a thriving underground that can be witnessed at small theaters, warehouses and even parties across the 5 boroughs. I've been lucky enough to be part of the immersive theater production of "Sleep no More" at the Mckittrick Hotel for a few years now as a part of the house band. We play in a beautiful bar at the nexus of all the activity where guests can repose and take a break from the madness surrounding them. That's about all I can say because it's very hush-hush but it's a great experience if you haven't been yet!
Roll over, Beethoven! I'm excited to announce that I'll be hosting a Chuck Berry tribute this coming April 10th at the Wayland in Manhattan's East Village from 9-12.
I already have a dozen guests lined up to sing and play guitar on Chuck Berry's hits and also some 'deep cuts' that don't get played all that often. Some of these folks are old friends and musicians I've already worked with a lot and some I'll be meeting for the first time. I'm sure that many more great musician friends will swing by with their instruments to sit-in as well.
Please stop by and enjoy the night with us!
Every second and fourth Monday of the month, Peter and the Master Keys performs at the Wayland in the East Village of New York. On these nights I perform with a quartet rather than the sextet and have different guests with me all the time. Sometimes I'm featuring a great guitarist and other times one of my favorite organists. It's also an opportunity to workshop new songs like some of the Ray Charles songs I've been working on. Tonight, I'll be playing with some old friends: Erik Blicker- an amazing guitarist as well as engineer and entrepreneur; Nicholas Myers- a fantastic jazz and blues tenor sax man; and Alex Raderman- one of New York's most in-demand drummers.
We're psyched to be returning to Sixty 5 on Main, Nyack's most exciting new entertainment venue, restaurant, and lounge on Saturday, March 18th, from 9:00pm-12:00am. It's a beautiful space with a dedicated stage and nice lighting - the whole works! I'll be playing a lot of great tunes from the 50's with my friend and frequent collaborator, Nick Palumbo, who knows more songs from that era than anyone. Also joining us will be another Nick - Nicholas Myers, who plays a mean saxophone and knows how to get that old-school rock n' roll sound. Watch out for a rousing rendition of Tequila!
Yesterday we played at a veritable Gatsby-era mansion in Long Island. The Coe Hall mansion is essentially a castle built by a gilded-age industrialist, which now is home to arts and concert series. We were thrilled to learn that all 150 seats had sold out! And what a great audience we had; all enthusiastic listeners and with a great sense of humor to boot (they laughed at all my jokes).
The band played an inspired set for the crowd and we were rewarded by a very gratifying standing ovation! Afterwards, we were pleased to meet many of the folks who came up to speak with us. Hopefully, we'll be playing here and other places like it again soon.
Working in New York City as a professional bassist and bandleader is a study in contrasts; one night I'm playing blues at a restaurant, another I'm playing New Orleans jazz at a seedy bar, and then I find myself playing in the Upper East Side of Manhattan playing for a select group of UN ambassadors and dignitaries!
It was an honor to play for the Pakistani ambassador to the U.N., Dr. Lodhi, last night. She was extremely gracious and engaging the whole night as she hosted us in Pakistan's beautiful townhouse. I wasn't sure what to expect; would we just be playing background music? But Dr. Lodhi and her guests were surprisingly attentive listeners and, as the night wore on, they turned out to be terrific dancers as well. It's not a night I'll forget soon!
This morning, Peter and the Master Keys is playing direct from the home of artisanal, hand-stitched, crocheted accessories and assorted artsy doodads!
A week ago, Peter & the Master Keys had the pleasure of playing for Sotheby's Luxury Night, sponsored by Maserati. We played for royalty that night . . . that is, for beautiful sixteenth-century oil paintings of royalty, situated right next to us.
Also next to us was the free-flowing champagne bar, which the band enjoyed - in moderation, of course.
All in all, it was a classy night for a classy band in one of the art world's foremost institutions. We've just been re-hired for Sotheby's holiday party next week, and we can't wait!
This Thursday, December 1st, I'm very excited to be performing with a good friend of mine - Harlem's very own blues prodigy, King Solomon Hicks! We'll be playing from 9:00-11:00pm at Luca's Jazz Corner, Cavatappo Bar & Grill on the Upper East Side in Manhattan.
Solomon is a young master of the blues in the style of B.B. King and other greats. So come by - you'll be in for a treat!
Sometimes you know that a wedding reception is going to be a lot of fun from the moment you walk in the door with your upright bass and band in tow. Last night was one of those nights. As soon as we got there, we were welcomed warmly by the father of the bride, who was setting up the PA for us, and immediately we were invited to sample the locally catered barbecue, which was delicious.
We began by playing a jazz standard as people entered the reception hall, thinking that we would save the dance music for later - but the guests had a different idea. They started the dance party right then and there. Maybe the extended cocktail hour had something to do with it. Nonetheless, we got off to a great start, and the night took off from there.
Peter and the Master Keys, led by upright bassist Peter Maness, is a six-piece jazz and blues band in New York City that specializes in blending the soulful sounds of Ray Charles's 1950's blues with classic jazz. A favorite band for special events, weddings, cocktail hours, parties, luxury nights and music concert series. Available for booking in the Tri-State Area!