Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Arts & Entertainment
Salt & Samovar, Band
By
Jen Carlson
Published Dec 18, 2007
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Carlson
Published Dec 18, 2007
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Salt & Samovar are a Brooklyn band that sound more like they're just visiting here from Upstate...or a Coen brothers film. Their live shows are described as "pentecostal revival-like performances that evoke the musical and spiritual heirlooms of a cherished American past." A simpler and simply transporting sound that'll have you pining for the past. Come check out their revival-rock this Friday at Mercury Lounge -- get your tickets here.
Where did your band name originate?
I have been into Russian Lit for a long time. I like the idea of everyone sitting around the communal samovar, drinking tea, &, conversing. I wanted the the band to have a collective sound that would emulate such a scenario.
Your sound is a bit pastoral, and in fact the Village Voice recommended listening to it on "sun- baked patches of grass" -- how did you come up with this while living amidst the hustle and bustle of Brooklyn?
We love the traditions of American music--music that came largely from rural, pastoral areas. Blues, Gospel, Country, & folk. They have the ability to transport one to the time & place they were recorded. I also am a heavy classical music listener, which oft brings one farther back, to the pastoral lands of the Old Country.
What can we expect to see from the band in the coming year?
We will be playing KCRW's showcase at SXSW & are touring on the way down. We are in the works booking some other tours. We are looking for someone to help do the booking as we do it all ourselves. We are expanding what we do. Everything is handmade & takes a while to put together. Our CDs are handscreened & wax sealed. Our bassist handscreens our custom shirts. & I have just started a company making handmade perfumes. We will be making an exclusive Salt & Samovar scent to sell at shows & online.
Please share your strangest "only in New York" story.
I work at a restaurant where we have staff meetings in a room that is not readily accessible to customers. You would have to walk through one of our two kitchens to get to it. We were all sitting back eating, & in walks Owen Wilson. He looked surprised to see lots of people. He laughed & joined in the feeling of the moment, touching his chin & saying, "mmmm, I have something important to say..." then he walked through the other door into the garden. Bizarre.
What's your favorite/least favorite place to see/play music in New York?
Favorite to play: We love the down home feel of Zebulon & The Rodeo Bar, but the sound at Bowery is unparallelld. To See: Bowery Ballroom. There is no bad place to stand.
Worst to play/see: Any of the places that book 6 bands a night & smell like stale beer, & usually are operated by unfriendly people.
Which New Yorker do you most admire?
Tom Brady had an apartment here, but I don't know if you could call him a NYer. I guess I'd have to say Robert Zimmerman.
Given the opportunity, how would you change New York?
I would make it quieter. I cannot stand how loud it is. On the streets, construction early in the morning, people yelling on the subway to impress everyone around, loud music in bars/restaurants. Why do restaurant owners think diners like to listen to modern dance/pop music while they eat.
Under what circumstance have you thought about leaving New York?
Whenever I leave, & remeber clean air, quiet, & nature. I think all of us in S&S would move upstate tommorrow if we had the bread.
Can you please recommend a good weekend hang-out that isn't unbearably mobbed?
Does one exist? I stay away from Manhattan on the weekends. Zebulon in BK is a great place with good free music, nice owners, & cool crowds.
What's your current soundtrack to the city?
Van Morrison always on. Christmas music from Perry Como! He's money.
Best subway line?
N/R
Best cheap eat in the city.
10 $ lunch special Thali at Saravanaas on 26th & Lex. R.I.P. Matamoros puebla.
Tagged
Arts and Events
band
blues
brooklyn
cds
classical music
drinking
film
interview
KCRW
love
mercury lounge
Music
new york
owen wilson
people
sxsw
village voice
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE arts-entertainment
Ever wish you could get paid to walk through a stranger’s house? ‘The Scout’ is for you.
A new film focuses on the strange career of a location scout in New York City.
By
Sonia Rao
Published Sep 26, 2026
There are 100s of places to visit during Open House New York. Here's 5 of our favorites.
See the entire lineup for the weekend when the city opens its doors.
By
Hannah Frishberg
Arts & Entertainment
There are 100s of places to visit during Open House New York. Here's 5 of our favorites.
See the entire lineup for the weekend when the city opens its doors.
By
Hannah Frishberg
A massive MTA archive ended up in a Virginia warehouse. A Brooklyn man brought it home.
By
Hannah Frishberg
How a Harry Styles pop-up in the East Village led to a nearby bookstore owner's arrest
By
Sonia Rao
NYC’s creative workers are increasingly self-employed, report says
By
Hannah Frishberg
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .