It's that time again: meet this year's crop of underground musicians, an elite unit selected by the Music Under New York [MUNY] committee to fill the city's subway stations with sweet, sweet music.
This year marked the 24th installment of the series, which holds its annual auditions at, naturally, Grand Central. Out of the 68 acts that performed live for a panel of judges earlier this month (the competition was emceed by the Bowery Poetry Club's Bob Holman), 19 were chosen for the program. MUNY performers are given choice spots to perform (think Times Square) and are generally kept safe from the tyranny of transit cops. This year's winners include Baroque harpist Meta Joy Epstein, Afro-beat jazz ensemble The Body Electric, and swing band Lost Wandering Blues & Jazz Band. You will find them and the 350 other MUNY groups performing across the organization's 25 locations throughout the year.
Here's a look at the audition process this year and, below, a list of the acts:
Marcella Louise Adame, Opera singer
Harold Allen, country singer
Brazilian Quarter, Brazilian & New Orleans music
Lindsay Dragan, singer songwriter & guitarist
Meta Joy Epstein, Baroque harpist
Erik Hegar, contemporary & classical harpist Keizo Ishibashi, Italian mandolin player
Tom Larsen, guitarist & singer songwriter
Lost Wandering Blues & Jazz Band, Swing band
Mike Lunapiena, cellist improvisation
Metro Brass Quintet, classical, pop, jazz
MetropoliTones, female a capella
Eric Reimers, classical & Argentinean guitarist
Ron Service, saxophonist
The Body Electric, Afro-beat jazz ensemble
The Connections, Motown, R&B duo
Threeds, Oboe trio
Matt Vorzimer:eCussionist, electro improvisation
Christopher Worth, contemporary & traditional singer
