Ladies and gents, it’s time to turn your attention to Noni Rene and The Village. Originally from the City of Brotherly Love, Noni has now made herself at home right here in Queens, where she’ll put her impressive pipes to work at the 2nd Annual Battle of the Bands.
This multi-tasking talent (she’s a singer, songwriter, composer, producer, and the founder of her own production company, TheVillageKid Productions) is inspired by legends Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder, as well as the contemporary sounds of N.E.R.D., Res, and Van Hunt. Noni’s also equally comfortable with several genres, having worked as a singer, composer, and producer on rock, R&B, electronic, and jazz tracks.
Other career highlights include being featured on the tracks "Love Joint II" by NishoSoul and "Live It Up" by Greg G. Her own single, "Good Vibes," was released in 2015, and she’s now in the process of developing a full album. Noni has also graced the stages at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Lincoln Center, and the STooPS festival in Bedford-Stuyvesant. Plus, she’s opened for Big Daddy Kane and Rakim at the ODUNDE festival in Philadelphia, and reached the semi-final stage of the acclaimed AfroPunk Battle of the Bands. We know we’re not the only ones who are excited to see what she does next. Noni will be joined by band members Joseph on bass, Habib on drums, and Louis on guitar.
Get your FREE tickets for the Battle of the Bands to see Noni Rene and The Village in action!
Show us some love on social media! #QLrocks2016
It seems like the news is filled with more and more stories about automated customer service. Virtual assistants, apps that answer your questions, chatbots that designers swear act and sound like humans—there’s a large premium being put on building artificial intelligence that can answer questions, and mimic the experience of talking to a real person.
Queens Library has a better solution: real people who are helpful, understanding, welcoming, speak multiple languages, and know how to find the answers to almost anything. Queens Library didn't invent it, but we probably perfected the art.
From my desk on the first floor of Central Library and during my frequent visits to community libraries, I talk to library users about why they are visiting the library. They readily share what they are looking for. It can be anything from getting help using computers, to finding information about a serious medical diagnosis for a loved one, to looking for information about gnats for a child's school science project, to getting reading recommendations.
Queens Library's staff is brilliant at zeroing in on just what is needed, and helping the customer access it, whether it is an online resource or in a book. In a survey we conducted recently, staff assistance ranked as one of the most important reasons that people come to the library. Queens Library's staff truly love working with the community, and it shows. They even answer questions you are not sure how to ask: “My daughter read all the Harry Potter books. Now she wants to read something that’s like Harry Potter, but not exactly like it, with less magic. Know what I mean?”
Our talented staff answered three million questions from library customers last year. All you need to do is walk in the door. Even when you can’t, you can ask questions via text, chat, email, and phone. Go to www.queenslibrary.org/ask-a-librarian anytime or dial 718-990-0714. Reference service is available in Spanish and Chinese through the webpage, too.
And if the subject of computer-assisted research versus human research interests you, borrow the classic film Desk Set, with Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy, available from Queens Library. You’ll love it.
Dennis
Next up in Battle of the Bands Spotlights, we’ve got Noise on 93rd. Getting their start in a basement located in Queens Village, Noise on 93rd have honed a unique sound, taking inspiration from the very best of boundary-pushing '90s alternative rock, the melodies of indie pop, and the irresistible beats of hip hop to make something that’s all their own.
This distinctive sound is the result of collaboration and experimentation by four band members. Frontman and lyricist Nicholas Bethea delivers the scorching vocals, and the instrumentation is propelled by the guitar skills of Kevin Matharu and anchored by the drum hits of Luke Sedge, and the rhythm guitar and bass talents of Miguel Acevedo.
With influences as varied as the Deftones, Circa Survive, John Mayer, Incubus, Fall Out Boy, Avenged Sevenfold, and Van Halen, we know we’re in for a treat on the evening of July 14. The boys are always working on fresh material, and are gearing up to put out a new demo shortly. We can’t wait to see them put on an electric show at the Colden Auditorium!
June is LGBTQ Pride Month, and we asked our staff to recommend titles old and new that focus on and are inspired by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer stories and themes.
We hope you will check out these great books and join us in Celebrating Pride!
“My pick is Female Masculinity by Jack (then known as Judith) Halberstam. A rebellion against the notion that gender only exists as ‘male’ or ‘female’ (known as the ‘gender binary’), as well as a detailed anthropological catalogue of masculinity as presented by female-bodied people in cultural history, this book asserts that masculinity is not owned by any one sex, while commenting on the problems (and dangers) that emerge when we police the way other people present their true selves.”
— Danielle Thillet, Queens Library Social Media Manager
"I need to evangelize one of the best LGBTQ books to be published in recent years. Alex Gino's George is brilliant because it's a middle-grade book—LGBTQ has usually been a YA theme—and speaks to a younger audience about a hugely important issue: being transgender. When people look at George, they think they see a boy. But she knows she’s not a boy. She knows she’s a girl. George gives us a middle-grade, positive, self-aware LGBTQ character figuring out how to bring others to the understanding she's had for a while now. She's surrounded by a positive support system, including a best friend who's there for the journey and a family who may struggle with this knowledge, but will ultimately have enough love between them to come to a path they can all walk together."
— Rosemary Kiladitis, Children's Librarian, Queens Library at Corona
“Set in the 1860s, Fingersmith by Sarah Waters is an intriguing story that describes more than just a lesbian tale of romance; it’s a story of lies, deceit, crime, passion, and betrayal. After the public hanging of her mother, Sue is raised in a poor and desolate town by a thief and a woman who sells abandoned babies. One day, they’re visited by a man they call Gentleman, who convinces the family to have Sue act as a maid to an heiress named Maud. During her charade, Sue has to convince Maud to marry Gentleman, who plans to 'ruin' Maud and then throw her in an asylum, claiming her fortune as his own. However, shortly after meeting Maud, Sue does something she never could have predicted: fall in love. It was in this moment that I felt this book spoke to the LGBTQ experience. It's the 'shameful,' forbidden, and unexpected love story that touches home for so many LGBTQ persons. It's a story about life not going the way we expected or may have wanted, but rather the way it was meant to be. Waters truly created a story that surpasses time and place and resonates with so many today in the same way it will in the future. It is one of my highest recommendations." (Fingersmith has also been adapted as a popular BBC mini-series, for the stage, and as a South Korean film!)
— Leshawn McFarlan, General Librarian, Queens Library at Long Island City
“I read a YA book a couple of months ago by Ami Polonsky called Gracefully Grayson, and it was about a 12-year-old boy who wished he could dress like a girl. Grayson wore wide shorts so he could pretend they swished like a skirt and he doodled pictures of girls all over his notebooks. He convinced his teacher to let him try out for the female lead in the school play, and the teacher chose him for the part because he read it so well—he really identified with the character, which showed in his acting. Grayson went on to do well in the final performance, even though the teacher's choice had shocked some of the other parents and members of the school administration. Although this book had an unusual subject matter, the story was told clearly and well and I enjoyed it.”
— Ingrid Andersen, Assistant Community Library Manager, Queens Library at Hollis
“While Auntie Mame by Patrick Dennis does not specifically address LGBTQ issues, it follows a youngster and his larger-than-life, sophisticated aunt who “opens doors he never DREAMED existed!” Patrick Dennis never explicitly announced his homosexuality during his lifetime, but the nonfiction work Uncle Mame by Eric Myers traces Dennis’ life and reveals the extreme highs and lows he encountered. I love Auntie Mame and Dennis’ other works because they remind us of the joy of our own follies, how important it is to forgo pretense and just be nice people, yet at the same time he lays out a fantastic world that makes us believe our lives can really be as fabulous as we make them! For me specifically, when I read this as a young gay kid, this book took me away from surroundings that often felt stifling and into a world where I was swept away by a warm, loving, globetrotting eccentric. After all, who doesn’t love an unconventional, flamboyant, ridiculously whimsical Auntie who teaches us that “life is a smorgasbord and most poor suckers are starving to death!”
— Thomas Maxheimer, Assistant Community Library Manager, Queens Library at Hillcrest
“As a librarian new to Queens who is also gay, I'm trying to make sure my collection has many LGBTQ selections. While the classic LGBTQ books are excellent and I have read many of those, they really don't pertain to today's LGBTQ teens. So here are some of my new favorites.
“Symptoms of Being Human by Jeff Garvin
There aren't a lot of teen books about gender fluidity, so I grabbed this one as soon as I heard about it. I know a couple of gender-queer teens and it's a book I would recommend to them. In the book, Riley has dealt with a lot so far in life and now is going to be the new kid at a new high school. You see life through their eyes and get an understanding of what it's like to be gender queer.
“George by Alex Gino
George is about a 4th grader who was born biologically a boy but knows she is a girl. She hasn't told her family about it yet, but she does talk about it with a friend, who loves and accepts her. When her class has play auditions for Charlotte's Web, George wants to play Charlotte but only ‘girls’ are trying out for that part. Read this book to see how George handles it! It's one of the first books written about a transgender protagonist for children. Such an awesome book not only for kids, but also for teens!
“Lies We Tell Ourselves by Robin Talley
When I first picked up this book, I thought I was just going to be reading a story about the Civil Rights era (which I love!) and then I was surprised! This book takes place in 1959 and Sarah Dunbar is one of the first students to be integrated into the local high school that used to be whites-only. She deals with a lot of obstacles and hatred and is forced to work with Linda, a student who was raised to believe that the races must be kept separate. The two girls learn a lot about each other and then develop feelings for each other.
“One Man Guy by Michael Barakiva
Once I read about this book and found out the main character was Armenian and gay I was sold!!! I'm half-Armenian myself and never find books like this! Alek is forced to go to summer school, where he meets Ethan. Through Ethan, Alek's world opens up and his life changes. He soon realizes Ethan is starting to have feelings for him and starts to think about having a boyfriend.”
— Jody Ruggiero, YA Librarian, Queens Library at Peninsula
If you haven’t already met them, we’d like to introduce you to some of our Battle of the Bands contestants. Chiv Culture, the Roslyn School of Rock House Band, and Psychonaut Underground will be bringing down the house on July 14 at Colden Auditorium, so now’s your chance to discover some of Queens’ musical diamonds in the rough.
Chiv Culture is a collective of jazz students, and their music encompasses jazz, hip-hop, and a clever lyricism. With sunny vibes all around, we’re looking forward to an uplifting set from a crew that’s been creating a real buzz on the college radio circuit.
The Roslyn School of Rock House Band consists of teens aged 13-18, and they’ll be playing a variety of covers and mashups spanning several genres. They’re well-versed in all things rock, with influences in metal and jazz as well.
Psychonaut Underground first hit the music scene in 2013, when cousins Jeffery Carino and Janssen “Fish” Gonzalez came together to commemorate Jeffery’s late brother Paul. Their diverse sound incorporates punk, grunge, hip hop, metal, funk, and even classical music.
Rock out with these guys and more at the 2016 Battle of the Bands!
Today, we’re introducing our third Battle of the Bands contestants: Psychonaut Underground. Psychonaut Underground first hit the music scene in 2013, when cousins Jeffery Carino and Janssen “Fish” Gonzalez came together to commemorate Jeffery’s brother Paul. A major music inspiration in their lives, Paul passed away at a young age, and the band was started as a tribute to his memory.
Eventually, it became clear that the band needed a guitarist, and Jeffery and Fish enlisted Luis “Space” M to become Psychonaut Underground’s lead axeman. With the addition of another member, the group found themselves gaining local recognition and generating plenty of new materials. To keep up with their evolving sound and their burgeoning fan base, they decided to add a bass player to the mix. This time, they approached recruitment with auditions, but only found their elusive bass boss after a months-long process. Band member Brenden joined, and with this refreshed lineup, Psychonaut Underground grew from punk and grunge roots to a more diverse sound that incorporates hip hop, metal, funk, and even classical. In 2015, they released a five-song EP called Kashmir, and this year they’re working towards a new mixtape.
Psychonaut Underground’s got a reputation for playing lively, energetic gigs that get the crowd excited from the first note. We can’t wait to see them rock out on July 14!
To listen to Psychonaut Underground before the Battle, check them out on ReverbNation.
Meet the next contestants staking their claim to victory at the Battle of the Bands. The Roslyn School of Rock House Band will be showing off their skills on July 14. Consisting of teens aged 13-18, the group plays a wide variety of covers and mashups spanning several genres.
Dedicated to classic songs and rock ‘n’ roll history, this group is all about impressing crowds with blazing instrumental skills and killer vocals. The House Band lineup for the Battle of the Bands is: Thomas Agate and Charlie Lomonaco on guitar, Sean Donlon on guitar and vocals, Tara Maggiulli and John Devito on bass, Jacob Marschall on drums, Sophie Adelman on keys, and Kayleigh Bugalla on vocals.
The Roslyn School of Rock House Band’s talents are many: they’re well-versed in all things rock, with influences in metal and jazz as well. Inspired by the likes of Led Zeppelin, The Beatles and AC/DC, you can expect a classic set from these passionate young players. We’re honored to have them compete in the 2nd annual Battle of the Bands, and can’t wait to see them shredding on stage.
Rock ‘n’ roll lovers of Queens: get ready for music that’ll melt your face off!
Watch previews of this band here and here.
Don’t forget to get your free tickets for the 2nd Annual Battle of the Bands on July 14!
Several children joined Queens Library President and CEO Dennis M. Walcott and Mayor David Dinkins today at the Children’s Library Discovery Center for our Google CS First kickoff event.
They got to try out the same computer science (CS) activities that will be available for kids in grades 4 through 8 at twenty-six Queens Library locations this summer, and more to come this fall. Queens Library is the first library in New York City to partner with Google for this free program.
Debra LoCastro from Google showed videos of CS First classes in action and demonstrated the Scratch code (developed by MIT) used by students to make their projects. She also spoke about the goals of Google CS First, which include increasing the confidence of children when they're using computers; making them builders of technology, not just consumers; and instilling courage in them to try new things. As a video she showed emphasized, "It only takes a moment to change a child's trajectory."
Google’s Head of External Affairs for New York, William Floyd, with Queens Library Trustee the Honorable Augustus C. Agate, Mayor David Dinkins, and Queens Library President and CEO Dennis M. Walcott.
Dennis Walcott told the gathered attendees that the library was helping the kids of today become the CS programmers of tomorrow. "You will be doing things we and even you had not dreamed possible," he said. He also spoke about our first partnership with Google, in 2013, when they donated 5,000 Nexus tablets for use by our customers after Hurricane Sandy. The tablets are still in circulation today—and still in great demand! He also informed the crowd that, through a partnership with ExpandED, 20 high school students would learn the Google CS First curriculum to assist kids with the classes this summer and fall—and receive high school credit for doing so.
We were honored to have Mayor Dinkins join us, who was as impressed with the potential offered by the Google CS program as the rest of our attendees. He also talked about the $46 million he invested in libraries during his administration, and how libraries serve as an important haven for the members of their communities. (Mayor Dinkins restored six-day service to the City’s libraries in 1993!)
Mayor Dinkins also gave William Floyd, Google’s Head of External Affairs for New York, his first job in public service. Mr. Floyd joined us to reaffirm Google’s partnership with Queens Library and remind us all that by 2020, there will be 1 million more computer science jobs than graduates to fill them. One trillion people use Google every year, but it started as the dream of two young people, and Floyd let our young attendees know that they could be taking the first steps to being computer visionaries themselves.
By then, the kids were ready to code—and soon they were focused on nothing but their projects! To learn more about our Google CS First program, visit http://queenslib.org/CSforKids.
Looking for new music? Look no further than your local Queens Library!
Every month, our expert staff will bring you the best of what's new in our physical and digital collections.
Check out our music recommendations for June 2016!
Beyoncé, Lemonade
Lemonade is the ground-breaking sixth album by Beyoncé. While its predecessor featured individual music videos for each track, Lemonade was accompanied upon its release by a one-hour film that aired on HBO. The album encompasses a variety of genres, including pop, R&B, blues, rock, hip hop, soul, funk, country, gospel, and trap. It features guest vocals from James Blake, Kendrick Lamar, The Weeknd, and Jack White. In case you didn’t know the origin of the album’s title, the song “Freedom” is derived from Jay-Z’s grandmother, Hattie White, who declares, “I had my ups and downs, but I always find the inner strength to cool myself off. I was served lemons, but I made lemonade.” Watch the HBO trailer for the album/concept video.
Sturgill Simpson, A Sailor’s Guide to Earth
Country is a limiting term for Sturgill Simpson. He’s a native of Kentucky, with deep southern roots, who has gained renown as a solo artist thanks to his 2013 solo debut High Top Mountain, an outlaw country record in form and feel. Says Shooter Jennings (Waylon's son), "Sturgill isn't imitating at all, and he sounds like my favorite era of my dad, the Seventies." On his latest, A Sailor's Guide to Earth, the former Navy man serves up life lessons framed as a letter to his son in songs like "Call to Arms," which Rolling Stone calls "an indictment of America's warmongering, media-stupefied culture.” Watch him perform that song live at KCRW.
Lukas Graham, Lukas Graham
From the free-living enclave of Christiania in Copenhagen, Denmark, 27-year-old Lukas Graham (along with his group) has crafted an album that is a combination of funky pop and R&B stylings. His musical influences range from classical—gained during his childhood experiences with the Copenhagen Boys' Choir—to the Beatles and the Stones, as well as the Prodigy and Dr. Dre. The first single, “7 Years” (a huge hit in Scandinavia), is the kind of song that gets crowds waving hands in the air, swaying and singing along. In it, the singer recalls his childhood, his hopes, his dreams—and smoking pot at a young age. You don’t have to get high to enjoy the video for the song.
The Lumineers, Cleopatra
With a sound that has been described as an amalgam of heart-swelling stomp-and-clap acoustic rock, classic pop, and front-porch folk, the Lumineers prove they're no flash in the pan with their sophomore album Cleopatra. Their story began in 2002, but after playing numerous gigs around New York, the band tired of the city’s cutthroat music scene and impossibly high cost of living and headed for Denver, Colorado. The new album, according to front man Wesley Schultz, is a more fully fleshed-out record compared to the “innocent demo feeling” of the band’s debut album, promising more electric guitar, piano, and storytelling. Watch the video for the first single, “Ophelia."
Keith Urban, Ripcord
Keith Urban’s career has seen a long list of groundbreaking firsts and accomplishments reserved for the music industry’s elite. Urban’s reputation as a premier songwriter, vocalist, musician, and virtuoso guitarist has afforded him the opportunity to collaborate with the likes of The Rolling Stones, John Mayer, Alicia Keys, Taylor Swift, Vince Gill, and Eric Church. Though he is Australian, his tenth album, Ripcord, includes an homage to America’s three favorite Johns, "John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16.” Rolling Stone describes the music as “virtuoso picking on six-string banjo (or ‘ganjo’) locking in with steady basslines and ticking drum tracks to fuse the rootsy precision of bluegrass with the uplifting persistence of EDM." Check out the video for that “John” song.
Royce da 5’9”, Layers
Whenever anyone mentions the name of Detroit rapper Royce da 5'9", a whole list of other names surround it (LL Cool J., Willa Ford, DJ Premier). Mostly, though, people associate him with Eminem. Royce and Eminem have rolled together since their early days in Detroit. His first appearance for many was on Eminem’s The Slim Shady LP. On his sixth solo album, Royce checks all the boxes, fully loading it with big-time producers, skits, and tons of careful introspection, the typical keys to success for any traditionalist rap album. Royce has a newfound commitment to full-fledged storytelling, and it’s easy to hear those gears turning on a song like “Tabernacle,” in which he tells the heartbreaking story of losing his grandmother and meeting his newborn son within hours at the same hospital. Watch an interview with Royce da 5’9” where he talks about his sobriety, Layers, and writing "Tabernacle."
Sin Bandera, Una Última Vez
Sin Bandera (which can be interpreted as "Flagless" or "No Flag") is a Latin pop duo based in Mexico. After getting famous, winning many awards and fans, splitting up, and then reuniting, Una Última Vez is their first original release in ten years. Fans of the group will love the six new songs showcasing their well-tuned voices. Together, they have a unique harmony that compliments their signature ballads. The album also contains upbeat pop songs as well as some hip-hop influences. Watch a trailer (in Spanish) for the new album.
Charlie Puth, Nine Track Mind
Charlie Puth began his career with acoustic covers uploaded to YouTube. An early supporter was Ellen DeGeneres, who signed the Berklee College alum—along with his duet partner, Emily Luther—to her label ElevenEleven. Though that deal fizzled, Puth, at age 24, signed with Atlantic in early 2015. His new album Nine Track Mind features two top 40 singles: the Meghan Trainor duet "Marvin Gaye" and "One Call Away." On "Marvin Gaye," Puth displays a flair for retro flourishes: doo-wop rhythms, sock-hop melodies, finger snaps, and sing-along piano. There's also a classic track in "Then There’s You," which features Puth’s beautiful tenor/falsetto and is made for pop radio in 2016. Watch the video for “Marvin Gaye.”
Santana, Santana IV
Carlos Santana grew up in Mexico, the son of a father who was a mariachi violinist. In the early '60s, the family moved to San Francisco. In 1966, he was one of the founders of the Santana Blues Band, which was evolving until the Woodstock Festival put them on the map. Carlos focused on the Santana band in various incarnations for most of the rest of the 1970s and into the ‘90s. His latest, Santana IV, reunites most of the Woodstock-'69 Santana, including drummer Michael Shrieve, singer-organist Gregg Rolie, and percussionist Michael Carabello, as well as guitarist Neal Schon. The sound of the album is equally rooted in the past, focusing on their much-loved conga-fired soul, funk, and jazz. They may not sound as young and radical as they were, but they do come off as if they never stopped playing and discovering together. You can stream the entire album on Freegal.
Flatbush Zombies, 3001: A Laced Odyssey
Friends since grade school, hip hop trio Meechy Darko, Zombie Juice, and Erick "The Architect" Elliott were born and raised in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn. Like their last project, Clockwork Indigo, 3001 pays homage to Darko's favorite director, Stanley Kubrick. According to Esquire magazine, "the songs have a much fuller, lush production than a lot of hip hop out there right now. It's a little bit of a callback to some '90s sounds, but feels especially distinctive right now," which is to say the group has grown in the last three years to where they dig everything from psychotropics to designer fashion and flannel shirts from Sears. Watch them perform the album's first single, "Bounce," on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.
A traditional book club, this isn’t. There are no flustered hosts at the Gracie Book Club: instead, it’s hosted by New York’s First Lady, Chirlane McCray, in the mayoral mansion. May 17 marked the first meeting of the Club, and the First Lady pulled up a chair with authors James Hannaham and Tanwi Nandini Islam to get into the weeds of Ms. Islam’s debut novel, Bright Lines.
The Gracie Book Club is devoted to literature straight from the streets of New York—stories that illustrate the diversity, multiculturalism, and vibrancy of the city millions call home. Set in Brooklyn and diving headfirst into themes of cultural identity, sexuality, and coming-of-age, Ms. Islam’s novel hit all the right notes to kick off the first gathering of the Club.
It wasn’t just the live event that had book lovers excited. As a book club of the 21st century, the discussion was broadcast to several public libraries, and the live stream was also available online, meaning anyone with an internet connection could take part. “It is my great pleasure to welcome everyone who is taking part in today’s conversation, whether you are here at Gracie Mansion or tuning in from your local library, your smartphone, or your home computer. If you can hear me talking, you are part of this book club,” said First Lady McCray.
Ms. Islam agreed, and thanked her fellow New Yorkers for attending. “As a New Yorker, it is absolutely surreal to think of people reading your work. I can’t believe it,” she said, before launching into an excerpt of her book.
While the fun may be over at Gracie Mansion for now, the spirit of the event lives on. Rebroadcasts will be happening at Broadway, Rochdale Village, and North Hills, and book discussions will be taking place at eight community libraries.