jasoncrane.org » RIJF

New episodes of The Jazz Session: Fly and Barbara Dennerlein

Jason Crane — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 19:40:12 +0000

Jason Crane interviews the members of the trio Fly: bassist Larry Grenadier, drummer Jeff Ballard and saxophonist Mark Turner. Fly is very much a collective effort — the group operates with a leaderless philosophy in which everyone contributes equally. As a result, the trio has come up with some fresh and exciting sounds as they try new combinations and new ways to balance their respective instruments. All three musicians are very much in demand as sidemen, too. A full transcript of this interview is available at AllAboutJazz.com.

LISTEN TO THE SHOW.

Jason Crane interviews organist Barbara Dennerlein about her pipe organ recording Spiritual Movement No. 2 (Bebab Records, 2008). The album was recorded at one of Germany’s most famous churches in front of a very appreciative audience. In this interview, recorded before a concert in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, Dennerlein discusses jazz on the pipe organ; why organists should use their feet; and how she adapts to the challenge of seldom having her own instrument on stage.

LISTEN TO THE SHOW.

PAETEC Jazz Festival

Jason Crane — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 18:56:20 +0000

Here’s the follow-up to this morning’s post about the new jazz festival being launched in Baltimore by John Nugent and Marc Iacona, producers of the RIJF:

PAETEC Jazz Festival to Premiere in Baltimore August 9-11, 2007
Baltimore-born Entrepreneur to Bring the Music Home!

Rochester, NY-January 31, 2007-Get ready Baltimore! The nation’s newest major jazz festival, PAETEC Jazz is coming your way, promising to heat up the music scene this summer for three music-packed days August 9-11.

Festival officials announced the new event at a news conference this morning at Baltimore’s City Hall hosted by newly elected Mayor Sheila Dixon.

“Considering the enduring history that jazz has in Baltimore, this is indeed a great day for the City,” said Mayor Sheila Dixon. “I’m proud to partner with the PAETEC Jazz Festival’s producers, John Nugent and Marc Iacona, and commend Arunas Chesonis of PAETEC, Inc. for helping showcase Baltimore through this great new event. We’re inviting jazz lovers from around the globe to experience a musical encounter unlike anything that’s ever happened in Baltimore. From Billie Holliday to Cab Calloway, jazz has set the musical tone for Baltimore for decades and the PAETEC Jazz Festival gives us yet another opportunity to highlight the offerings of our world class city.”

PAETEC Jazz Festival Baltimore, will be held in multiple indoor venues and outdoor stages set against the impressive backdrop of Baltimore’s Inner Harbor and downtown area. A diverse program of more than 40 concerts will embrace all genres of creative improvised music and feature Grammy-winning headliners as well as some of the world’s finest emerging artists. Venues confirmed to date include Pier 6 and Power Plant Live! The complete artist lineup, schedule, and ticket sale information will be announced in May.

PAETEC Jazz Festival Baltimore was conceived by PAETEC Communications, Inc., Chairman and CEO Arunas A. Chesonis, the Baltimore-born entrepreneur whose telecommunications and information technology company has achieved remarkable growth since it was founded in 1998. PAETEC is headquartered in Rochester, NY, and has offices from coast to coast including in Baltimore and nearby Washington DC.

To produce PAETEC Jazz Festival Baltimore, Chesonis, 44, has tapped the rising star festival producer team of John Nugent and Marc Iacona, who have carefully nurtured two growing and highly successful festivals. The Rochester International Jazz Festival, now in its sixth year and attracting record audiences topping 80,000 in 2006, and the Stockholm Jazz Festival, now entering its 24th year, drawing more than 50,000 music fans, have brought significant positive recognition and economic impact to the host communities.

“Baltimore has always been an important market for PAETEC as well as being the home of one of the most beautiful waterfronts in the nation,” said Chesonis. “We’re honored to be a part of what should become an anticipated cultural event in Baltimore, and I personally look forward to hearing some amazing music while enjoying what this city has to offer.”

“We are very excited to bring PAETEC Jazz to the great city of Baltimore,” said Marc Iacona, Co-producer and Executive Director. “John and I are extremely impressed with Arunas’s vision and leadership in helping establish this important new event. Baltimore is a thriving urban center, alive with activity, and will be a spectacular setting for our diverse festival lineup. We look forward to delivering a top level event that will also have a positive economic impact on the region.”

Artistic Director John Nugent said, “Having produced festivals in different parts of the world, my focus and my joy is in putting together talent – creating a musical painting that meshes new musical ideas from emerging artists with music that is familiar and loved. That is what helps build a festival atmosphere that is electrifying. We have been fortunate to create that in Rochester and Stockholm, and now look forward to accomplishing the same high-level quality event for Baltimore. There is so much talent and so many broad creative styles of creative improvised music to choose from. When our new festival canvas comes together in Baltimore, it will be special.”

Sponsor Opportunities

A variety of sponsorship opportunities are available. For information visit www.paetecjazz.com or contact Marc Iacona at marc@paetecjazz.com.

News Alerts

Sign up to receive the latest PAETEC Jazz Baltimore news at www.paetecjazz.com.

About PAETEC Communications

PAETEC Communications, Inc., is an innovative supplier of communications solutions to medium and large businesses and institutions. With the belief that every customer has unique needs, PAETEC offers personalized solutions that include a comprehensive suite of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services delivered over its Private-IP MPLS network. With more than 1,100,000 access line equivalents in service, PAETEC serves more than 15,000 core business customers across the U.S. by offering a full line of telecommunications and Internet services, enterprise communications management software, security solutions, and managed services. The company was the recipient of the 2005 American Business Ethics Award for a mid-size company, presented by the Society of Financial Services Professionals. PAETEC is headquartered in Fairport, N.Y.

About the Producers

PAETEC Jazz Festival Baltimore is Sponsored by PAETEC Communications Inc and produced by John Nugent, Artistic Director, and Marc Iacona, Executive Director, principals in RIJF, LLC, based in Rochester, NY. The team also produces the critically acclaimed and growing Rochester International Jazz Festival, which will feature more than 600 musicians and more than 120 concerts during the nine day event June 8-16, 2007.

Nugent also produces The Stockholm Jazz Festival, which this year celebrates its 24th year July 17-21. As a performer, Nugent, a noted tenor sax player, has traveled the world with many jazz artists including Tony Bennett, Ella Fitzgerald, Rosemary Clooney, Clark Terry, The Woody Herman Orchestra and The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra.

Iacona, a business and community leader, avid trumpeter and philanthropic supporter of the arts, is also President of Simcona Electronics Corporation, a leading electronics distributor based in Rochester New York with offices serving the eastern US, Canada and Asia.

RIJF Producers Launch New Festival

Jason Crane — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 13:54:00 +0000

This morning, my inbox contained this message from the producers of the Rochester International Jazz Festival:

Media Advisory

For release January 31, 2007

Rochester International Jazz Festival Producers and Baltimore Mayor to Announce Major New Jazz Festival at Press Conference in Baltimore Wednesday

Rochester Companies to Play Key Role

WHAT

Announcement of a Jazz Festival in the Inner Harbor and areas of downtown Baltimore
in August 2007.

WHEN

Wednesday, January 31, 2007 – 9:30 A.M.

Mayor Sheila Dixon will unveil the Festival’s official name and logo, introduce the
event’s two producers and corporate sponsor. The festival’s producers, as well as the CEO of the corporate presenting partner, will be available following the press conference for interviews.

WHERE

Mayor’s Executive Conference Room – 2nd Floor of Baltimore’s City Hall, 100 N. Holliday Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202

WHO

Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon
John Nugent and Marc Iacona, Co-producers and Partners in the Rochester-based
company, RIJF, LLC

Rochester-based Corporate Presenting Partner

As you may already know, John Nugent produces the Stockholm Jazz Festival in Sweden. Now it looks like he’s adding another U.S. festival to his growing production company. That’s exciting news for jazz fans, and exciting news for Baltimore.

I wrote yesterday about the benefits for Rochester of the jazz festival. It looks like Baltimore has already realized the potential of a major cultural event. I’m glad to see their mayor out in front. I was also glad to see Rochester Mayor Bob Duffy at the RIJF press conference last year. Our mantra should be: Remember Montreal!

Supporting Rochester’s Jazz Festival

Jason Crane — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 13:57:11 +0000

The Democrat & Chronicle, Rochester’s daily paper, weighed in this week in support of using the arts as a growth engine for Rochester:

A mix of activities: Jazz Festival’s growth should inspire Music Fest surge

(January 30, 2007) — As part of a larger plan to create a dynamic city, Rochester officials must provide entertainment on a large scale.

So news that the city is headed in that direction with the annual Rochester International Jazz Festival is encouraging.

With just $35,000 last year, the event managed to attract 80,000 people. Imagine what could be done with the $250,000 the city has asked for.

The idea is to expand the festival beyond the East End and hold events in other areas of the city such as High Falls and Corn Hill, creating a more appealing event.

This would be money well- spent. But the focus on the jazz festival creates a question. What about Music Fest?

The event was a product of the Johnson administration, and has primarily highlighted R&B and hip-hop acts. The event has seen some changes over the years — a reduction in the number of days it is held and a change of venue last year to Frontier Field. Charles Reaves, commissioner of recreation and youth services, said keeping the Music Fest going for years to come remains a priority of the city.

He said sponsorship for the event hasn’t grown to the level the city would like to see, but an audience is there.

Broadening the Music Fest to include other genres of music could be a smart way of appealing to more people and keeping the event fresh, though Reaves said variety can be achieved within the R&B and hip-hop genres by offering a mix of new, old and local acts.

He said it’s striking the right mix, as the jazz festival has done, will help to build the Music Fest’s appeal.

Officials will meet soon to determine the details of this year’s event, and the City Council will vote on whether to approve additional funding for the jazz festival. Nurturing both events should be on the top of the city’s to-do list.

That’s a song I’ve been singing for years. You’ll find that opinion and a lot more about the Rochester International Jazz Festival by looking through the RIJF category here at jasoncrane.org.

AAJ: Check out my interview with guitarist Joel Harrison

Jason Crane — Mon, 10 Jul 2006 13:43:30 +0000

During the recent Rochester International Jazz Festival, I sat down for an hour with guitarist, arranger and songwriter Joel Harrison. The interview is now available at All About Jazz.

AAJ: Your 2006 RIJF mixtape is now at All About Jazz

Jason Crane — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 12:56:06 +0000

My review of the 2006 Rochester International Jazz Festival — written as a track list for a mixtape — is now at All About Jazz. Enjoy!

The Respect Sextet at RIJF

Jason Crane — Mon, 19 Jun 2006 15:40:07 +0000

Here’s a little clip of the Respect Sextet playing “Time To Say Goodbye” at the 2006 Rochester International Jazz Festival. The clip runs about 2 minutes. Enjoy!

2006 Rochester International Jazz Festival: The final word

Jason Crane — Sun, 18 Jun 2006 02:07:20 +0000

Once again, it’s over. From the look of it, the 2006 Rochester International Jazz Festival has been a roaring success. We’ll have to wait for the facts until the annual post-festival press conference, but here are a few thoughts as we close out the year.

1. It was a great decision to close Jazz Street (Gibbs St.) for the whole festival. The East End felt like a party for the whole nine days, and that was fantastic. Toward the middle of the festival, as the weather improved, Jazz Street was packed every night with folks watching the free student shows, and the free shows by the pros, too. This is a what a festival atmosphere is supposed to feel like. My prediction? In another five years, we’ll see additional street closures — maybe even free East Ave shows every night of the festival.

2. Kudos to John Nugent for the diversity of the acts. This year’s festival had a great group of acts from overseas, plus a fair amount of adventurous music for those of us who like hanging out on the ragged edge. I’d like to see a venue devoted to “out” music in future fests.

3. Rochester’s jazz fans are a pretty classy bunch. With a few exceptions, most of the folks in most of the venues were polite and attentive, because they were there to hear the music. The Montage is probably the biggest offender in the loud crowd category, and Max and the tent had those tendencies, too, but by and large people were cool.

4. We have a wealth of student talent in the Rochester area. Alen Tirre and Bill Tiberio booked a great collection of student ensembles for the early sets at the Jazz Street Stage. That was great to see, and it’s always a cause for celebration to see young players diggin’ the music. I was particularly impressed by a young woman who played trombone from West Irondequoit High School.

5. It’s time to start booking acts in other venues at 8 p.m. For the first five years, the producers haven’t booked acts at the same start time as the Eastman shows. It’s probably time for that to stop. The festival is drawing a large enough crowd these days that there are enough people to buy Eastman tickets AND fill the club venues. Otherwise, there’s not much to do at 8 p.m. This year, by the time the 8:30 shows started, you really needed to be in line for a 10 p.m. show at one of the clubs. Which leads me to…

6. We need more venues. Club Passes were sold out on Day 1. Just about every show in the clubs had a 60-90 minute wait, and many people couldn’t get into ANY show during a particular time slot. There are additional venues downtown, and some just out of walking distance that an EZ-Rider-style shuttle could take people to. It’s time for an expansion! We’ll end on an up note:

7. The Bop Shop was back — yay! Two years ago, Tom Kohn and the boys set up shop at East and Jazz Street. This year, they had a tent on Jazz Street. It makes such a difference to have access to the records right there at the festival. I’d like to see the official autograph sessions return, too.

All in all, a brilliant festival, brimming with great music and good times for every jazzhead — and lover of good music — in the region. See you next year!

2006 Rochester International Jazz Festival: Day 8 In Review

Jason Crane — Sat, 17 Jun 2006 05:44:50 +0000

It’s always bittersweet as the festival winds down to the end. There are still great acts to see, but you know that in a few days Rochester will turn back into a pumpkin, and we’ll have to wait a year to fit into the glass slipper again.

Tonight in Kilbourn Hall, Sweden’s E.S.T. (the Esbjorn Svensson Trio) worked hard to push back the final moment and keep the festival energized. They succeeded, functioning as a three-man instrument to turn groove into gold and complex harmonic and melodic structures into the anthems that have sold more than 100,000 copies of their latest record. And before you read that number and say, “Wait a minute, doesn’t Britney sell millions of records?” remember that a smash jazz album tends to sell around 10,000 copies. That’s a big hit. So 100,000 is an insane number in the jazz world.

E.S.T. is Esbjorn Svensson on piano, Dan Berglund on bass, and Magnus Ostrom on drums. The band is touring the U.S. and Canada in support of their new CD, Viaticum. Tonight was the first show of the tour. The set opened with “Eighty-eight Days in My Veins” from the new album. Svensson is a wonder, playing left-hand bass lines that many pianists couldn’t play with their right hands, let alone solo over. He and Berglund were locked in at the low end, with Ostrom driving the group forward and adding very musical shadings with cymbals, bells and effects. In fact, the group used its effects skillfully, creating new textures and layers rather than using them to cover up poor or unimaginative playing. “Viaticum” featured a rivulet of rhythmic playing on the bass, but the rivulet quickly widened into a stream of of tubular industrial sounds from the upright bass and an arco solo that sounded like Ravi Shankar going through a Cuisinart. At one point, Svensson reached into the piano with what looked like an overturned shot glass, using it to bend pitches on the strings of the piano. The woman in front of me leaned far forward in her seat as if she were in the crowd at a magic show, trying to see behind the illusion.

Later in the set, Ostrom took a drum solo that was processed through some ENIAC-era effects, the bloops and bleeps blending in with the toms and cymbals. He played the solo with brushes, which added a wonderful texture and sounded great through the effects unit, as did his yelping onto the snare head. And no, that isn’t a type-o. This is a good time to mention that the band came with its own sound engineer, which probably explains why it sounded so good in the tricky Kilbourn Hall.

The highest compliment I can pay is that when I tried to think of whom to compare EST to, I couldn’t come up with anyone. This highly original and entertaining trio is huge in Europe, and promises to have a similar effect here on this continent.

Soulive held court at the East Ave Stage, and thousands of people came out to enjoy the show. Unfortunately, the 9 p.m. start time meant that you could either watch Soulive or line up for a 10 p.m. club set. Maybe next year the festival can finally free itself from its five-year policy of not booking bands at the same start time as the Eastman Theatre shows at 8 p.m. For folks who don’t attend those shows, that means that you usually can only see a club set at 6 and 10, rather than also seeing a club set (or major outdoor act) at 8 p.m.

For me, there was no question about my destination: Asylum Street. No, that’s not an address in Rochester, it’s the home of the Spankers. The Asylum Street Spankers are a reviewing nightmare. The music is just about uncategorizable, many of the lyrics are unprintable, and a Spankers show is more or less indescribable. So take the next several sentences with a grain of salt.

Tonight, the Spankers were a six-piece band. At various times, the members played washboard, fiddle, guitar, ukilele, manolin, percussion, harmonica, upright bass, voice, and beer bottle. Everybody sings, everybody tells jokes, and everybody contributes to the hillbilly-bluegrass-improv-comedy-country-blues-fill-in-your-own-adjectiveness of the experience. Maybe it’s easiest to just give you a few choice concepts, words and phrases from some of tonight’s selections. WARNING: NOT SUITABLE FOR UNENLIGHTENED CHILDREN OR PARENTS!

“Fellatio. Cunnilingus. Pedaresty. Daddy, why do these words sound so nasty?”
“Winning The War On Drugs” — sung by Wammo (!) as he chugged a beer
“You Only Love Me For My Lunch Box”
“If you love me, you’ll sleep on the wet spot / Buy my tampons using your foodstamps / take out the garbage and clean out the cat box / If you love me, the wet spot is yours”
A brief interlude of musical saw
A hilarious tune about bestiality titled “I Want To F*** You Like An Animal” (“written for my grandma,” said Sick (!!), who sang the tune)
A hick-hop tune “about when cousins marry” combining country murder ballads and gangsta rap
The Star Wars Cantina Theme

Get the idea? Run, don’t walk, to the next Spankers show. They’ve been in Rochester before, and I’m sure they’ll be back. (Kudos to Tom Kohn from The Bop Shop for making it happen!)

A quick non-RIJF review: I stopped by the Bug Jar after the Spankers show and caught Filthy Funk and a bunch of hip hop MCs and singers gettiin’ it on for about 90 minutes. Hassan dropped the knowledge on the mic, and even saxman Jimmy Highsmith made a guest appearance. Where my funk at?

2006 Rochester International Jazz Festival: Day 7 In Review

Jason Crane — Fri, 16 Jun 2006 04:31:41 +0000

Rochester was filled with world-class musicians tonight, but the night belonged to one man named Wayne.

Tom Harrell kicked off the evening in Kilbourn Hall with a set of mostly original compositions. Harrell’s flugelhorn work was stunning throughout the evening as he dipped into the stream of chords and rhythms sprung from the hands of pianist Danny Grissett, bassist Ugonna Okegwo and drummer Rodney Green. For most of the set, it was the contemplative Harrell on stage, navigating circular melodies and intricate chord progressions. At the end of the set, though, traces of the old fire emerged, as Harrell — on trumpet this time — ripped through a masterful solo on “Caravan.” The crowd loved him, whistling and shouting and calling for multiple encores.

The Eastman Theatre was the center of the jazz universe tonight, as saxophonist Wayne Shorter and his quartet held court. Shorter brought his working band for the gig — pianist Danilo Perez, bassist John Patitucci and drummer Brian Blade. This is the band that backed Shorter on his three most recent albums: Footprints Live, Alegria and Beyond The Sound Barrier. Their telepathic communication was evident on stage, as was their sheer pleasure at being together. In recent months, Shorter has been ill, and several of his concerts have been glorified trio shows. Tonight, though, Wayne was in good form, particularly when playing the soprano saxophone. His probing lines cut through the complex interplay of the rhythm section, driving the band to greater heights.

The quartet opened the show with the long and meditative “She Moves Through The Fair” from Alegria. Shorter stuck to the tenor on this tune, and both his sound and approach were often tentative. On the second tune, though, Shorter gained command of the stage, soprano saxophone soaring as Brian Blade rocked — I said ROCKED — so hard that his drum stool fell over. The third tune opened with a lovely duet between Blade on bells and Patitucci on arco bass. The intensity heightened with another masterful soprano sax solo, and this time Blade launched a drumstick across the stage and onto the floor in the orchestra pit where the media sits. My good friend and fellow media guy paused for one beat, then leapt out of his seat to grab the stick as a souvenir. “Hey man,” he said, “it’s like a foul ball.” I waited in vain for Shorter to drop a saxophone into the orchestra pit. Alas, I went home empty-handed. The obligatory “spontaneous” encore featured more soprano and tenor, and ended the evening on a high note.

For the final set of the evening, a packed-to-the-rafters Montage hosted trumpeter Terrell Stafford and his B-3 band, featuring organist Pat Bianchi and drummer Chris Somebody. OK, his last name wasn’t Somebody, but the Montage crowd was so loud — mostly in the bar, not in the music room — that it was impossible to understand about 80% of what Stafford was saying. He noted this problem from the stage, and played two very soft numbers in an attempt to quiet the conversations. Despite the annoyances from the crowd, the set was nicely swinging, with the band putting several jazz thoroughbreds through their paces, including “Skylark,” “You Don’t Know What Love Is,” and “I Don’t Wanna Be Kissed (By Anyone But You).” Particularly moving were the two ballads: “Dear Rudy,” a tribute written by Stafford for his late grandmother, and the even quieter “Nearness of You,” both played on silky flugelhorn.

(UPDATE: It turns out the drummer’s name was Chris Beck. Thanks to the Woodstock Road desk for the tip.)

For complete information, including audio files, concert photos and more, visit rochesterjazz.com.

2006 Rochester International Jazz Festival: Day 6 In Review

Jason Crane — Thu, 15 Jun 2006 04:30:53 +0000

So how DO you see five acts in one night when four of them are playing at the same time? That was the question faced tonight, as the 6 and 10 p.m. sets featured Ben Allison, Jane Bunnet, the Tiberi/Garzone tenor duo, and the Joe Locke/Geoffrey Keezer group. All that plus Toots Thielemans and Kenny Werner at 8 p.m. opening for McCoy Tyner’s trio. Oy!

First it was off to Kilbourn Hall for a set by saxophonist/flutist Jane Bunnett. The effervescent Bunnett had an all-star band: Elio Villafranca on piano, Keiran Overs on bass and Francisco Mela on drums. The two Cubans were an inspired pairing, urging each other on from across the stage, and singing together on several songs.

Bunnett seemed visibly surprised by the size of the crowd and the enthusiastic response as she walked onstage. “That’s a really nice welcome,” she said. “Almost as nice the one we got at customs.” She took out her cell phone and said she felt safe in using it as a timer because “no one ever calls me.” She was saved from this precarious position by a good Samaritan with a watch he was willing to loan for the set.

Then it was down to business. Bunnett unleashed a long and flowing unaccompanied solo on the soprano saxophone, often lifting one knee in the crane stance known to fans of the Karate Kid movies. The solo became a rollicking quartet number, complete with call and response vocals. The second piece was “Ogere’s Cha,” a tune from Villafranca’s excellent debut album from 2003, Incantations. For this number, Bunnett switched to her wonderfully Rahsaan-esque flute, the raspy tone running through the hall like a broadcast from Cuban radio in the 1950′s. Villafranca’s solo climaxed with a two-handed trill that seemed to lift the stage a few inches higher, as the audience collectively willed the downbeat and accompanying cymbal crash.

Bunnett then dedicated “Joyful Noise” to the brilliant pianist Hilton Ruiz, who died on June 6 at age 54. Mela led the quartet with his wonderful voice and his exuberant drums, all the while with a look on his face as if he were debating an invisible partner. “Alma de Santiago” began with ruminations by Villafranca, then accelerated into a classic Cuban dance tune with vocals by Bunnett, Villafranca and Mela, and a soprano sax solo that had my companion exhorting the heavens for release. Cries of “Ultra, ultra!” brought the band back on stage for another wonderful Cuban dance number, and sent the crowd off to Jazz Street with a bounce in its collective step.

At the Eastman Theatre, pianist Kenny Werner and harmonica legend Toots Thielemans were alternately mellow and playful as they delighted the audience — and each other — with a set of standards, including “Summertime,” “Moon River/Days of Wine and Roses,” “In Your Own Sweet Way,” and more. Werner played both piano and keyboard, using a synthesized string section on several tunes. Thielemans regaled the crowd with stories of his nearly seven decades in the music business, dating back to his first record purchase — a Louis Armstrong album he bought in 1942 during the Nazi occupation of his Belgian homeland. “That was my first injection with jazz,” he said before playing a lovely version of “What A Wonderful World” to close the show. “And after seeing everybody and playing with everybody, Louis is still my main guru.”

Thielemans and Werner also paid tribute to John Coltrane, and by extension the night’s headliner, McCoy Tyner, with a medley of “Naima” and “Giant Steps”. The other tribute of the evening was to pianist Bill Evans, whom Thielemans referred to as “one of the traffic lights of my career,” by which he meant playing with Evans was a milestone for him. The duo sailed through “Blue In Green” and “Solar.” The 84-year-old Thielemans was a wonder to hear, and a true joy to see.

The main act of the evening, the McCoy Tyner Trio, suffered from poor microphone placement on the same piano that sounded fine moments earlier for Werner. The piano was often muddy, individual notes and chords losing focus in a wash of sound. Despite that, the trio played a robust set of mostly Tyner originals, including the vivacious “Angelina” from Tyner’s 2004 album Illuminations. Charnett Moffet provided the energetic bass, and recently un-retired drummer Eric Kamau Gravat kept the music moving with his undeniable beat, one cymbal suspended high in the air like an offertory bell at the Temple of Tyner. (For the fairly amazing story of Gravat, check out this article.) Had the lights gone out in the theatre, we all could have found our way to the exits in the glow of the smiles exchanged throughout the set between an obviously overjoyed Moffet and an equally charmed Gravat. Being in the presence of Tyner was an honor, but the real meat of the session came from his sidemen.

The final act of the night was a late set at Milestones featuring bassist, bandleader, composer, and all-around good guy Ben Allison. Allison — along with guitarist Steve Cardenas, trumpeter Ron Horton, and drummer Gerald Cleaver — played tunes from his new album Cowboy Justice, along with a few selections from earlier records. Every song was fun and interesting, but the two tunes that will make SportsCenter were “Green Al” and the encore, a version of John Lennon’s “Jealous Guy” with spaces so wide you could have piloted a hot air balloon through them. Allison also played the beautiful and haunting “Ruby’s Roundabout,” written for (scaring?) his 2-year-old daughter. Horton played his ethereal trumpet to great effect on “Roundabout,” and the closing minutes saw the whole band swaying on stage as if in a mild breeze. A fun and adventurous set of music by one of the modern-day visionaries of jazz.

For complete information, including audio files, concert photos and more, visit rochesterjazz.com.

2006 Rochester International Jazz Festival: Day 5 In Review

Jason Crane — Wed, 14 Jun 2006 04:09:10 +0000

Tonight was a laid-back night at the Rochester International Jazz Festival, at least for me. While folks lined up to see the Preservation Hall Jazz Band or to get into the Montage to hear Dawn Thompson, my friends and I decided to kick back in the tent for an evening of feel-good, in-the-pocket jazz that drove straight down the road with no surprising detours.

The evening began with the trumpet — and, as it turned out, voice — of Byron Stripling. Stripling played the evening before at the Eastman Theatre with the winners of the 2006 RIJF scholarships, but tonight he was in the company of pros: guitarist Bob Sneider, bassist Phil Flanigan, and drummer Mike Melito. If those names sound familiar, it’s because they belong to three of the busiest men at the festival. All are backing multiple artists, plus the trio is holding down the house band gig at the nightly jam sessions. To add insanity to frenzy, Melito is even teaching his regular lessons this week.

The trio has played together hundreds of times, and it shows. They provided solid, swinging and intelligent support to Stripling’s trumpet on a set that could have come out of a Jamey Aebersold play-along book: “Confirmation,” “I Can’t Get Started,” “Honeysuckle Rose,” “Strike Up The Band,” “Back Door Blues,” “A Night In Tunisia,” “East of the Sun,” and “Kidney Stew.” Three of the songs (“Kidney,” “East” and “Back Door”) featured Stripling singing in a serviceable style a la the late nonexistent great Nat King Rawls Williams. Highlights included Flanigan’s bass solo on “Honeysuckle,” Melito’s drum work on “Strike Up,” and Sneider’s burning guitar throughout. The sound was fairly good, better than the tent often sounds, although the vocal mic was too loud.

The only part of Stripling’s show I could have done without was the intro to “Strike Up The Band,” during which he made a fairly condescending speech about how all drummers wake up in the morning, look in the mirror and “see Buddy Rich.” He made a few more snarky comments about drummers and eternal solos, then gave the stage to Melito, the drummer who, in all of Rochester, least epitomizes the problem he was describing. Ha ha.

All in all, a fun show with no challenges but a lot of nice music.

The 8:30 set in the tent was a pick-up band filled with talent: drummer Ted Poor (who played the previous night in the Respect Sextet), bassist Ryan Cotler, guitarist Mark Whitfield, and saxophonist Gray Mayfield. The band burned through some standards, including “Straight No Chaser,” the rarely played Coltrane composition “Like Sonny,” and “Trinkle Tinkle.” Mayfield was particularly impressive on “Trinkle,” weaving the tricky melody into his solo, aided by the sharp ears and sharper reflexes of Poor. I enjoyed Whitfield’s comping more than his solos, although those had their moments. The original lineup was supposed to include trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis, who had to cancel and was replaced by Whitfield.

Gray Mayfield was a good showman as well as musician. Recounting his conversation with Marsalis: “He called me and said ‘I’ve got good news and bad news. Which do you want to hear first?’ I said “Whichever, man.’ He said, ‘I can’t make the gig.’ I said ‘What’s the bad news?’ That’s how we joke down in New Orleans.” It’s always good to hear Mayfield. Kudos to producer John Nugent for bringing him back to the Flower City.

The hot ticket at 10 p.m. was Blue Note pianist Robert Glasper. Glasper was born in Rochester, although he moved away before turning 1. Many of his cousins live here, though, and a big family contingent filled several tables in the back of the atrium at Max of Eastman Place. Bassist Vicente Archer (who was with Karrin Allyson earlier this week) and drummer Damion Reid joined Glasper for a 70-minute set that felt like nothing so much as a John Coltrane recording. Not that it was at all derivative. It was more of a feeling, a polyrhythmic pulse supporting searching piano improvisations that explored the full depth of each piece.

Glasper began the set with a new tune that received the spur-of-the-moment title “Might As Well.” Reid used his tight snare (which sounded like a snare Amir Thompson from The Roots would use) to drive the music forward with quick jabs and longer rolls. The ballad “Of Dreams To Come” was gorgeously heavy, like a glacier glistening in the midnight sun. But the moment of truth was the half hour medley of Glasper’s own “Enoch’s Meditation,” coupled with a reharmonized “Maiden Voyage” laid over the changes of Radiohead’s “Everything In Its Right Place.” The middle 15 minutes found Glasper playing by himself, eyes closed, head rocking as he found more to do with two chords than seemed possible. After so much quiet meditation, it was as if the ceiling fell in when Archer and Reid jumped back in for “Maiden Voyage,” and then the rest of the room fell into the basement as Reid wailed through a solo over a static figure from Glasper and Archer. The crowd was on its feet before the song was even finished. A bright moment, and a bright future.

For complete information, including audio files, concert photos and more, visit rochesterjazz.com.

The D&C goes digital with jazz fest coverage

Jason Crane — Tue, 13 Jun 2006 05:12:01 +0000

The Democrat & Chronicle has a fun multimedia slideshow of photos and audio from each day of the Rochester International Jazz Festival. And I’m not just linking to it because I’m in the first photo. Kudos to photographer Will Yurman for his excellent work.

2006 Rochester International Jazz Festival: Day 4 In Review

Jason Crane — Tue, 13 Jun 2006 04:53:13 +0000

Billy Bang. Period. (See details several paragraphs below.)

Tonight I saw something straight out of the past. Mose Allison played more than 20 songs in 70 minutes with no written set list, calling each tune from his book of music by its number so the bass player, Rich Syracuse, would know which song to play. Allison remembered all the lyrics, played 20+ interesting solos, and kept the audience charmed and smiling for the whole set.

Mose Allison is a quiet institution. He’s been around so long that he’s part of America’s musical fabric, and he still has such a following that the line was halfway around the block 90 minutes before showtime. It was worth the wait, as Mose played one great song after another: “Look What You Made Me Do,” “Your Molecular Structure,” “What’s Your Movie?” “Ever Since The World Ended,” and many more. He also threw in some songs by other writers, including “Fool’s Paradise” by Johnny Fuller and a very reharmonized “You Are My Sunshine,” by former Louisiana governor Jimmy Davis.

One strange element of the sound was a bass rasp on the low string that jumped out every time Syracuse plucked it, but otherwise the sound was fairly good in the sometimes cavernous Kilbourn Hall. A friend of mine once described watching jazz there as watching “jazz in a diorama.” While it often has that feel, the best performers can transcend the limitations of the space (see Allyson, Karrin and Allison, Mose).

NOTE: Three paragraphs until Billy Bang.

Outside on the free Jazz Street Stage, the reunited Respect Sextet wowed the crowd and kept them laughing. As a matter fact, Mose Allison into the Respect Sextet was a great segue, as both shows showed the value of a sense of humor in music. It was the classic Respect lineup: Josh Rutner on sax, Eli Asher on trumpet, James Hirschfeld on trombone, Red Wierenga on piano, Ted Poor on drums, and Malcolm Kirby on bass, who missed the Respect show this year at the Bop Shop because he was on tour with the Campbell Brothers. As usual at a Respect show, original compositions — in the best sense of the word “original” — held sway, including Herschfeld’s “latin surf anthem” opener, a Balkan tune by Rutner, and the wonderfully titled “Beer” by Wierenga. The band members now make their home in New York City (all but Asher, who lives in the D.C. area), but they still remember their roots here in Rochester.

NOTE: Two paragraphs until Billy Bang.

The official Next Big Thing of the 2006 festival, Sonya Kitchell, filled the big tent and caused a line down Main Street outside. Back in its inaugural year, the Rochester International Jazz Festival booked a then-unknown singer/pianist named Norah Jones. Eight Grammy awards later, producer John Nugent hoped to prove his instincts again with 17-year-old phenom Kitchell. She’s good, but she struggled to overcome the big tent’s sound-swallowing atmosphere, and her airy vocals were often lost completely in the muddy mix of sound. That said, Kitchell’s songwriting was often impressive, and if she wins eight Grammies this year, you’ll know how to rate my skills as a talent scout.

NOTE: Up next is the good bit, featuring Billy Bang.

Every year at the festival, there’s one artist who transcends the ordinary and sends writers scrambling for adjectives. This year, no matter what happens next, that artist was Billy Bang.

Violinist Bang was joined by trumpeter James Zollar, bassist Todd Nicholson, drummer Newman Taylor Baker, and pianist Andrew Bemkey. Listening to them was like someone reaching inside your rib cage and squeezing your heart. From the first note (Bang’s “Reconciliation”) to the last (“Rainbow Gladiator”), Billy commanded the room in a way few performers ever do. And the audience loved him for it. In recent years, thanks to the work of Bop Shop owner Tom Kohn, Bang has appeared in Rochester several times, both at the jazz festival and at the Bop Shop atrium. Rochester’s music lovers have embraced him, and one of the city’s leading cultural figures, choreographer Garth Fagan, has championed Bang’s music by using it as the basis for a dance piece. Bang was effusive in his praise of Rochester all night long, and he seemed genuinely moved by the intense emotion of the crowd.

The set featured one highlight reel solo after another. Nicholson’s root-to-fruit bass solo on “Reconciliation.” Zollar’s ride on Rocket #9 during the Sun Ra tribute “Jupiter’s Future.” Bemkey destroying and rebuilding the piano with a consciousness-altering two-fisted display on the same tune. Bang getting his sabroso on during the Cuban-inflected closer, which had the crowd on its feet screaming as the band tightened the screws one notch, then another, then another, leaving the audience so enraptured that the band was literally prevented from leaving the stage until they played an encore, the lovely “Rainbow Gladiator.”

With the week ahead including names like Tyner and Shorter, it may seem ridiculous to say this, but my prediction is that no individual set of music will top Billy Bang. Not this week, and not for a long time to come.

For complete information, including audio files, concert photos and more, visit rochesterjazz.com.

2006 Rochester International Jazz Festival: Day 3 In Review

Jason Crane — Mon, 12 Jun 2006 05:11:28 +0000

Any festival is about making choices. There are more acts to see than time to see them, and musical triage is the order of the day. With that in mind, it’s tempting to do the easy thing and cross artists off the list if you’ve seen them before. I’ve seen Karrin Allyson a half dozen times, so I did the sensible thing … and lined up an hour and a half early to see her again. She’s that good.

Allyson’s new album is called Footprints. It features a number of tunes not normally associated with singers, decked out with new lyrics by Rochester native Chris Caswell. The program offered a mix of tunes from the new record — “Lazy Bird,” “Never Say Yes,” “Con Alma” — with some old friends from previous albums. Allyson was joined by a top-flight band: Bruce Barth on piano, Vicente Archer on bass, and Todd Strait on drums.

“Con Alma” was a grabber. They played it slow. The kind of slow that makes you lean forward in your chair to try to get closer to the sound. The kind of slow that the band holds together by an act of collective will. Exquisite.

As at any Karrin Allyson gig, there was a beautiful bossa nova number, sung in Allyson’s gorgeous Portuguese. During the latin numbers, Karrin played what appeared to be two egg shakers. In her hands, the egg shakers had a sensuality that they seem to lack when wielded by, say, a class of kindergartners.

Karrin also played piano on several tunes, including Jimmy Webb’s 70′s ballad “The Moon Is Harsh Mistress.” Bruce Barth added a second keyboard instrument — the Fender Rhodes — for Oscar Brown Jr.’s uplifting “As Long As You’re Living,” Hank Mobley’s “Turnaround,” and Blossom Dearie’s “Bye Bye Country Boy.”

The encore was once through the haunting “Say It (Over And Over Again)” from her Ballads album. When it ended, you could have heard a jaw drop. From start to end, a perfect set of music.

From the Not-An-Early-Enough-Bird Department: Apparently, Brazilian sensation Baji Assad is not just big in Brazil. A line four across and about thirty deep was waiting to get into the sold-out show in the big tent, so this review will be rather short. In fact, it’s over right now.

The late set at Milestones featured guitarist Joel Harrison playing the music of George Harrison. For those in the crowd expecting BeatleJazz, it was probably a shock to hear the searing explorations of Harrison and saxophonist Dave Binney, bassist Dave Ambrosio and drummer Dan Weiss. Harrison’s inventive and exciting arrangements used George’s music as a springboard, rather than an anchor. Binney was the perfect foil for Harrison, adding his sharp-edged tone and intelligent but accessible improvisations to Harrison’s fluid and free-ranging chord structures. The band played George Harrison’s “Within You Without You,” “Beware of Darkness,” “Isn’t It A Pity,” and “My Sweet Lord,” along with Joel Harrison’s own compositions “My Father’s House” and “You Bring The Rain.”

Binney lifted “Beware Of Darkness” higher and higher with each phrase, wiping his left hand on his jeans between each line like a safecracker sandpapering his fingers before the next turn of the dial. Binney wasn’t afraid to explore one repeated pitch, mining it of every ounce of meaning before moving on to the next note.

This show was a left turn from most of the fare at the festival, and it was a welcome exploration of less-charted territory.

For complete information, including audio files, concert photos and more, visit rochesterjazz.com.

2006 Rochester International Jazz Festival: Day 2 In Review

Jason Crane — Sun, 11 Jun 2006 06:43:24 +0000

Another chilly night on the streets of Rochester completely failed to deter thousands of people from packing the clubs and filling the streets at the 2006 Rochester International Jazz Festival.

Kilbourn Hall welcomed back pianist Cedar Walton, who played an engaging hour of solo piano for an enthusiastic audience. The set list included two Walton tunes: “Cedar’s Blues” and “Underground Memoirs.” The rest of the evening found Walton navigating the entire range of the grand piano on everything from “Skylark” (an emotional touchstone of the set) to “Willow Weep For Me,” which rolled steadily on a wave of flatted fifths. The list also included a handful of tunes about time: “Every Time We Say Goodbye,” “Time After Time,” “I Didn’t Know What Time It Was,” and “Just In Time.”

When he wasn’t seated at the piano, Cedar delivered lines with the timing of a comedian. He read song titles from a scrap of paper as he introduced the tunes, but at one point he got up from the piano without the list. “That was ‘Every Time We Say Goodbye,’” he said. “The next piece is … I’ll tell you when I’m finished because I’ve got to go look at my list.” He introduced his composition “Underground Memoirs” by saying, “If this one doesn’t put you to sleep, nothing will.”

One thing the Jazz Festival might consider is handing out cough drops. Someone who sounded like they were moments from an appointment with the Grim Reaper spent the entire show hacking in the middle of the theater.

As any jazzhead will tell you, nothing goes with an hour of introspective piano like the Godfather of Soul. Which is a happy coincidence, because that’s just the menu the festival was serving tonight.

It was hard not to be skeptical about a 73-year-old man trying to recreate the soul power of his youth, but it was even harder not to be won over by the mind-jellying funk of The James Brown Show. For more than an hour, the enormous band turned the 3,000 spectators — including Rochester’s mayor, Bob Duffy — into participants, forcing them out of their seats and onto their feet to shake what could be shook. The band had two drummers with full drum sets, a percussionist, three guitarists, a bassist, four backup singers, a guest vocalist, two dancers, three horn players, an M.C., and R.J., who stood on the side of the stage for all but the last ten minutes, when he came on to ask the immortal question, “Do you want James Brown to do his thang?” Everyone said they did, so Soul Brother Number One busted out “Sex Machine,” and it was all over but the leather pants and hot flashes. That said, seeing James Brown in 2006 rather than 1966 is a little like seeing a tiger in a zoo rather than going out into the jungle yourself — you can say you’ve seen it, but it’s not exactly like the real thing. Not that it mattered; a soulful time was had by all.

Djabe played two free sets on the outdoor Jazz Street Stage, and the street was full, despite the cold. Similarly, Roomful of Blues and Little Feat filled the East Avenue Stage.

Back in the clubs, it was time for the most star-studded ensemble of Day 2, as trumpeter Eddie Henderson played swinging hard bop with pianist George Cables, bassist Ed Howard and drummer Billy Drummond (whom Henderson referred to as the “chief of the fire department”). At least, I think those were the guys — the players were almost invisible on the stage, which was apparently lit by the novelty blacklight department at Spencer’s Gifts.

But who needs to see when you can hear? And there was plenty to hear. The late set was full of classic tracks, including “One Finger Snap,” “El Gaucho,” and “Green Dolphin Street.” Henderson used the flugelhorn to wonderful effect on several tunes, his tone sounding like a warm fleece blanket on a cold (June?) night. Cables and Drummond were captivating. Drummond’s solo on “One Finger Snap” was a master class in timing, texture and musicality as he alternated between a curtain of cymbals and driving snare/tom work. A rousing “Cantaloupe Island” finished off the evening, as the band played well past the allotted time. “As you can see, we want to keep playing,” Henderson said. “I hope that’s all right.”

The jam session was packed with minor league ball players, prom guests and jazz lovers. Festival promoter John Nugent held sway for an entire set, slightly belying the “jam” concept, but he was ably assisted by guitarist Bob Sneider, drummer Mike Melito, and Roomful of Blues sax player Mark Earley, with whom Nugent attended college. The bar was full of jazznocenti, including Eddie Henderson and his son, the members of Djabe, and James Brown’s drummer, Mousie.

And that was how it rolled on Day 2.

For complete information, including audio files, concert photos and more, visit rochesterjazz.com.

2006 Rochester International Jazz Festival: Day 1 In Review

Jason Crane — Sat, 10 Jun 2006 06:31:49 +0000

Jason with friends Gary and Beth outside Kilbourn Hall

It’s almost too much to take. Day 1 of the 2006 World Cup coinciding with Day 1 of the 2006 Rochester International Jazz Festival. Three hours of soccer matches (Germany and Ecuador emerging victorious) followed by 8 hours of jazz (everybody in attendance emerging victorious). Here’s what I saw and heard on the opening day of what is fast becoming one of the country’s top jazz festivals.

The weather was nasty. Let’s just get that out of the way. It was a very un-June kind of day in Rochester — cold, rainy and windy enough that the folks from the local jazz station, Jazz90.1, had to hold down the four corners of their broadcast tent to keep it from sailing off into the sunset.

This is the northeast, though, and jazz fans can’t be dissuaded by foul weather. For the first time, all the Club Passes sold out by Day 1 of the festival. (The Club Passes get you in to everything but the shows in the Eastman Theatre.) A packed house watched as guitarist Charlie Hunter and his new trio remodeled the interior of staid Kilbourn hall with a mix of Levon-Helm-Slept-Here drumming from Simon Lott and the Rhodes and organ of Erik Deutsch. A breakneck version of Stevie Wonder’s “Higher Ground” was a highlight, particularly when it screeched to a halt and became a cerebral and hushed “Out of Nowhere.” Lott and Deutsch are new to the trio, replacing long-time members John Ellis and Derrek Phillips, who left amicably to pursue other projects. The one hitch in the first set was a long, introspective tune that took up the last 20 minutes of the show. When it ended, Charlie called a closing number, but the soundman was gesturing wildly that time was up, and a surprised Charlie warmly thanked the audience and split. It was obvious that the quiet number wasn’t supposed to be the show closer, and my guess is that they worked out the timing a little better by the second set.

After a quick round of sushi to restore the vital signs, it was off to the Eastman Theatre to see … Woody Allen? That’s right, the film auteur was in town with his trad jazz band to play the most expensive show of the week. Unfortunately, the music didn’t live up to the hype. If his name were Woody Jones, he and the band would have been a very enjoyable local outfit that you might see on a small stage. For $90 a head, though, you really have to like looking at Woody as he energetically keeps time and plays clarinet with what can only be described as a sadistic amount of vibrato. (As it turns out, the standout member of his band was Cynthia Sayer, who charmed the jam session later in the evening with her delightful banjo playing.) It’s important to note, though, that a portion of the proceeds from this show go to benefit folks in New Orleans, so from a nonmusical perspective, it was a good thing.

Over in the festival tent, Hungarian fusion band Djabe made their second appearance in Rochester and once again won the crowd over with the kind of feel-good electric music that was big with guys named Corea and Clarke back in the early 80s. The members of Djabe radiate a personal warmth from the stage that does a lot to win the crowd over, and they back up that vibe with solid musicianship.

Milestones Music Room was host to one of the standout shows of the night, as Gregg Bendian and his Mahavishnu Project channeled John McLaughlin and stoked the inner mounting flame. The five-piece band features Bendian on drums, Adam Holzman on keyboards, Rob Thomas on violin, Glenn Alexander on guitar, and Dave Johnsen on bass. “We believe jazz can be electric,” Bendian told the crowd, “and when it’s electric, it should be heard live.” The room was packed with admirers, from the grey goatees who listened to the original records in the 70′s, to jam band kids who’ve grown up listening to extended improvisation. Highlights included a beautiful version of “Dawn,” a hard-charging “Celestial Terrestrial Extraterrestrial Commuters,” and a mesmerizing rendition of Jan Hammer’s “Bamboo Forest.”

It’s worth mentioning that Milestones booked its own act to go on between the jazz fest sets. Singer/songwriter/pianist Juliet Lloyd played an hour of original music that could easily find its way onto stations that play Jamie Cullum and Nellie McKay. Her song “Too Little, Too Late” would be on the radio in a better world.

For the fifth year running, every night of the festival ends with the Bob Sneider Trio leading a jam session for headliners and amateurs alike at the Crowne Plaza. Guitarist Sneider was joined by bassist Phil Flanigan and drummer Mike Melito. The opening night session featured members of the Woody Allen band, local boys Filthy Funk, and many, many others. A packed crowd stayed until after 2 a.m. to drink in the music (and a few liquid refreshments) and celebrate nine days when Rochester becomes the Jazz Capital of the World.

For complete information, including audio files, concert photos and more, visit rochesterjazz.com.

Happy World Cup/Jazz Fest Day!

Jason Crane — Sat, 10 Jun 2006 00:56:06 +0000

REMINDER: My picks for the 2006 Rochester International Jazz Festival

Jason Crane — Sat, 03 Jun 2006 03:50:22 +0000

I posted this overview back in April, but it seemed appropriate to post it again, given that the Jazz Festival starts one week from today.

The Rochester International Jazz Festival — year 5!

Jason Crane — Fri, 07 Apr 2006 01:18:22 +0000

The lineup for the 5th Annual Rochester International Jazz Festival was announced this morning at Max of Eastman Place. The list of artists gets better each year, and this year’s festival looks like it will be a fantastic party.

One of the coolest parts of the festival experience in recent years has been watching as more and more people hop on to the festival train. I’ve written before about the need for the city of Rochester to embrace the festival — not for altruistic reasons, but for its own economic benefit. (The cultural benefits are wonderful, too, but they’re usually not enough of an enticement to move a government to action. Maybe some day that will change.) As you can see in the picture below, Mayor Duffy is stepping up the city’s involvement with the festival, and he seems genuinely excited to do it.

Another sign of the increasing support for the RIJF is the expanding media coverage. Today’s press conference was covered by all the networks, and broadcast live (for the 5th year running) by Jazz90.1. Here’s a shot of the media in action:

Now for the lineup. It’s phenomenal. Rather than list the entire thing, which you can find for yourself at RochesterJazz.com, I’ll give you my picks for the must-see shows of the festival. Remember, all musical opinions are subjective, so check the music out for yourself ahead of time and make your own decisions. I’m going to go night by night and plan out an itinerary. In other words, you could actually see all the shows I’m going to list, as long as you walk fast, and maybe leave before the last song.

Friday, June 9

This first night features two groups in the 10 p.m. slot. Jazz-rock fans should probably check out the Mahavishnu Project, while soul-jazzheads should see the Henderson-Schonig trio.

Charlie Hunter Trio: Charlie is one of this age’s guitar virtuosos, and he’s funky as the day is long. If you like your jazz with hip hop and funk mixed in, see this show. And for you purists, don’t worry — there’s enough brainpower behind the music to make it worth repeated listening. (Kilbourn Hall, 6 p.m., Club Pass)
Djabe: If you’re a fusion fan or a world music fan, Hungary’s Djabe is not to be missed. They came to the festival two years ago, and blew the roof off the place. (Big Tent, 8:30 p.m., Club Pass)
Mahavishnu Project: Guitarist John McLaughlin set the world on fire with his playing in the Miles Davis band, and then added fuel to the blaze when he left Miles and formed the Mahavishnu Orchestra. Now drummer Gregg Bendian leads the Mahavishnu Project, which performs McLaughlin’s music. It’s the next best thing to having a flashback to that gig you saw in 1971. (Milestones, 10 p.m., Club Pass) OR
Henderson-Schonig Trio featuring Dr. Lonnie Smith: If you like your jazz soulful, you can’t miss with this trio. Guitarist Mel Henderson is a Rochester original, and the co-founder of Paradigm Shift. Eastman grad Jared Schonig has played with Paradigm Shift and many others, and he’s one of the better drummers to come out of our scene. And what can you say about organ guru Dr. Lonnie Smith that hasn’t been said already? A guaranteed good time for the groove crowd. (Montage, 10 p.m., Club Pass)
Jam Session with the Bob Sneider Trio: Every night of the festival, the Iron Man of Jazz, guitarist Bob Sneider, leads a trio in the bar at the Crowne Plaza. Many of the musicians who play in the festival will drop by, and you never know what kind of off-the-hook jam session is going to happen. Yes, it’s late, so make sure you have the week off from work. Hangin’ with Bob and the boys every night is your civic duty. (State St. Bar & Grill at the Crowne Plaza, 10:30 p.m. – 2:30 a.m., Club Pass)

Saturday, June 10

Cedar Walton: One of the giants of jazz, pianist Cedar Walton has been on the front lines of improvised music for decades. He’s been here before, but he’s worth seeing every time. (Kilbourn Hall, 6 p.m., Club Pass)
James Brown: This one’s a judgment call. If you’ve never seen James, and want to rectify that, then here’s your chance. Otherwise, this might be a nice chance to grab dinner at the Montage so you have a good seat for…
Eddie Henderson Quartet: Eddie plays fiery, gutsy trumpet that is guaranteed to have the Montage Grille jumpin’ all night. (Montage, 10 p.m., Club Pass)
Jam Session at the Crowne: That’s right, kids. Night #2. Rest up. (State St. Bar & Grill at the Crowne Plaza, 10:30 p.m. – 2:30 a.m., Club Pass)

Sunday, June 11

Karrin Allyson: First, a little tip — it’s pronounced KAR-in, not CARE-in. Now you can hip your friends to what an insider you are. Anyway, she’s been one of my favorite singers for years, and I’ve never seen her give a bad performance. (Kilbourn Hall, 6 p.m., Club Pass)
Badi Assad: OK, not to do this twice, but it’s BA-ji a-SAHJ, more or less. She’s a big deal in Brazil, and you’ll be doing yourself a favor by figuring out what the Brazilians already know. (Big Tent, 8:30 p.m., Club Pass)
Claudia Quintet: The instrumentation alone lets you know you’re in for a good time — drums, bass, accordion, vibes, sax/clarinet. Eastman grad John Hollenbeck leads this critically acclaimed band. (Little Theatre, 10 p.m., Club Pass)
Jam Session at the Crowne: Night #3. Just hitting your stride. (State St. Bar & Grill at the Crowne Plaza, 10:30 p.m. – 2:30 a.m., Club Pass)

Monday, June 12

Mose Allison: Any guy responsible for lyrics like … “A bad enough situation / Is sure enough getting worse / Everybody’s crying justice / Just as soon as there’s business first” and “Well you know the people running round in circles / Don’t know what they’re headed for / Everybody’s crying peace on earth / Just as soon as we win this war” … is worth your time. (Kilbourn Hall, 6 p.m., Club Pass)
Respect Sextet: Begun in Rochester, now based in NYC, this group is one of the reasons to be proud of our city. Expect the unexpected. (Jazz Street Stage on Gibbs St., 7:15 p.m., FREE)
Sonya Kitchell: OK, so this is a recommendation I’m making without having heard too much from this artist. But I’ve heard enough to know it’s worth hearing more. And my friend Richard says go see her, so go see her. She may just be The Next Big Thing. (Big Tent, 8:30 p.m., Club Pass)
Billy Bang Quintet: One of the best shows I’ve ever seen was a duet gig by Billy Bang and Kahil El’Zabar at the Bop Shop. Every time Billy comes anywhere near here, you need to check him out. (Montage, 10 p.m., Club Pass)
Jam Session at the Crowne: Night #4. No yawning! (State St. Bar & Grill at the Crowne Plaza, 10:30 p.m. – 2:30 a.m., Club Pass)

Tuesday, June 13

Robert Glasper Trio: Pianist Glasper is Blue Note’s new man on the scene. If you want to say “I knew him when,” you should see him now. (Max of Eastman Place, 6:15 p.m., Club Pass)
Bird Lives! with Phil Woods: “I’ve got Bird’s axe” is one of those old hipster jokes. Well, Phil has Bird’s charts — the charts to the album Bird With Strings, to be exact, given to him by Charlie “Bird” Parker’s wife, Chan Parker. Now you can hear a great alto man revive these charts with the Rochester Chamber Orchestra. A special evening of music, to be sure. (Eastman Theatre, 8 p.m., Ticketed)
Gray Mayfield & Delfaeyo Marsalis: Gray is married to a Garth Fagan dancer, and he’s spent quite a bit of time in Rochester. Now’s he’s making waves on the national scene. If you were ever at one of Gray’s sets at the inaugural RIJF, you know that he makes the magic. Throw in a Marsalis brother, and musical mayhem is likely to ensue. (Big Tent, 10 p.m., Club Pass)
Jam Session at the Crowne: Night #5. Grrrrrrr! (State St. Bar & Grill at the Crowne Plaza, 10:30 p.m. – 2:30 a.m., Club Pass)

Wednesday, June 14

This is a tough, tough night. The first three acts listed are all playing at 6 p.m. and 10 p.m., and they’re all on my must-see list. So that means you’ll have to miss one and see the other two. Oy!

Jane Bunnett Quartet: Canadian saxophonist Jane Bunnett is as impressive a human being as she is a musician. She’s been mining the Cuban motherlode for years now, and every Bunnett show is a good time for the feet and the mind. (Kilbourn Hall, 6 p.m. or 10 p.m., Club Pass) OR
Ben Allison Quartet: As the leader of the Jazz Composers Collective, bassist Ben Allison has been responsible for much of the good music to come out of NYC in the past decade. From funk to freak-outs to kora jams to burnin’ post-bop, Ben does it all. (Milestones, 6:30 p.m. and 10 p.m., Club Pass) OR
Joe Locke & Geoffrey Keezer Quartet: No RIJF is complete without a leave-it-all-on-the-stage, vision-inducing vibe fest with Rochester’s own Joe Locke. Joe’s been making pulses rise and hair stand on end since the first fest, when he rocked the Pythodd. (Montage, 6 p.m. and 10 p.m., Club Pass)
McCoy Tyner Trio: Face it, you probably never got to see Coltrane. Me either. But if you want to connect to the essence of that era, you need to make the pilgrimage to McCoy. This show also features harmonica legend Toots Thielemans, who I believe will be opening for McCoy. (Eastman Theatre, 8 p.m., Ticketed)
Jam Session at the Crowne: Night #6. Energy drink, anyone? (State St. Bar & Grill at the Crowne Plaza, 10:30 p.m. – 2:30 a.m., Club Pass)

Thursday, June 15

Osage County: Groove music led by drummer Scott Neumann and featuring pianist David Berkman and saxophonist Sam Newsome? Sign me up! (Milestones, 6 p.m., Club Pass)
Wayne Shorter: SEE THIS SHOW. Period. (Eastman Theatre, 8 p.m., Ticketed)
Sliding Hammers: Two Swedish sisters who play trombone. They were the talk of the festival a couple years back, and now it’s your chance to find out why. (Big Tent, 10 p.m., Club Pass)
Jam Session at the Crowne: Night #7. Home stretch! (State St. Bar & Grill at the Crowne Plaza, 10:30 p.m. – 2:30 a.m., Club Pass)

Friday, June 16

e.s.t.: A night of groove and funk and mayhem begins with Europe’s best-selling jazz act — this dynamic piano trio. And don’t worry if the words “piano trio” don’t set your heart racing. These guys will pin your ears back and knock your socks off. But that’s OK — it’s warm in Rochester in June, so going barefoot feels nice. (Kilbourn Hall, 6 p.m., Club Pass)
Soulive: The ubiquitous funksters are everywhere these days, both as headliners and as the opening act for folks like the Dave Matthews Band. Join the big party on the closed-down East Avenue. (East Ave. Stage, 9 p.m., FREE)
Asylum Street Spankers: The name alone should tell you that these guys are worth seeing. This is jazz in a train going over a cliff into a lake of fire. What does that mean? I don’t know, but the Spankers will help us all figure it out. (Milestones, 10 p.m., Club Pass)
Jam Session at the Crowne: Night #8. Here’s where we cull the weak from the pack. (State St. Bar & Grill at the Crowne Plaza, 10:30 p.m. – 2:30 a.m., Club Pass)

Saturday, June 17

The final night! This night is filled with international artists about whom I know nothing, so consider it a grab bag of goodies and experiment for yourself. The only thing I know for sure is that you should see…

Kenny Garrett: He’s often referred to as one Miles Davis’s alumni, but saxophonist Kenny Garrett stands on his own two feet. He’s usually on fire, and always worth hearing. (Kilbourn Hall, 6 p.m. and 10 p.m., Club Pass)
Jam Session at the Crowne: Night #9. Close down the festival in style with the final jam session. Thanks, Bob! (State St. Bar & Grill at the Crowne Plaza, 10:30 p.m. – 2:30 a.m., Club Pass)

Remember, this list doesn’t even include most of the great free acts at the Jazz Street Stage on Gibbs St. or the East Avenue Stage. These acts include hundreds of area students, playing on the same stage as headliners. It’s a chance for you to get a glimpse of the future of the music. The student acts will be selected by Alan Tirre and Bill Tiberio, two of Rochester’s finest, so you know they’ll be good. There’s so much to see!

And here’s a very important tip: PLAN AHEAD. You’ll see more music and have a better time if you know where you want to be. You don’t have to have every night planned out, but make sure you leave time to stand in line for the things you really want to see. Tickets for the Eastman shows go on sale at Ticketmaster outlets on Friday, April 7. Club Passes are on sale now, too. Remember, it’s all at RochesterJazz.com.

Enjoy!

Jason at the 2005 Rochester International Jazz Festival (Part 6)

Jason Crane — Sun, 19 Jun 2005 07:04:55 +0000

It’s over.

The 2005 Rochester International Jazz Festival has come to an end. And what an end it was.

This year the festival featured two outdoor stages (up from one in previous years), and tonight the streets were jammed with folks checking out the lineup of free music on both stages.

I went with my sister to see the Derek Trucks Band. They tore it up. Had the joint had a roof, they would have blown it off. I knew we were gonna be OK when the band opened up with Rahsaan Roland Kirk’s “Volunteered Slavery,” featuring Derek Trucks and his wailing slide guitar. They tackled some other jazz classics, too, including Dr. Billy Taylor’s “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free” (one of my faves) and John Coltrane’s arrangement of “My Favorite Things.”

What a joy to see people of all ages and races crammed onto East Avenue, dancing and laughing and singing along. I’ve said it before (see my earlier posts on the jazz fest) and I’ll say it again: the city of Rochester needs to grab this festival with both hands.

And there you have it. There’s still great jazz happening in Rochester the rest of the year, but nothing can top the vibe of the festival. I’m already making my plans for ’06. See you there!

Jason at the 2005 Rochester International Jazz Festival (Part 5)

Jason Crane — Sat, 18 Jun 2005 16:54:46 +0000

The penultimate night of the 2005 Rochester International Jazz Festival was a mixture of exhilaration and disappointment.

The disappointment came in the form of the Wallace Roney Sextet. Not because the band was bad, but because the sound was horrible. Kilbourn Hall was plagued with sound problems this week, spoiling a number of shows, including Night of the Cookers, Ravi Coltrane, The Bad Plus, and the Roney band. In truth, Kilbourn may not be the best venue for loud, electric groups, but I’ve seen other electric bands there with much better sound. In this case, the same sound tech was working all of those shows, and I think it’s fair to lay the blame at his feet. At one point during the Wallace Roney show, the pianist actually turned around on his bench to yell at the sound tech. That’s when things have gone way too far.

That said, the band was hip. Trumpet, sax, piano/keyboards, bass, drums, and turntable. I’d love to hear them in a better sonic environment. Or on their new album, Prototype. I’m sure Erik Telford will have some good insight into this show over on Miles Radio.

The real revelation of the night — and of the festival — was singer and guitarist Raul Midon. He’s been mentioned in the same breath as Donny Hathaway and Stevie Wonder. That kind of hype usually spells disappointment, but Midon is more than up to the challenge. Jen and I saw him at Milestones last night, and we were absolutely blown away. If you get a chance to see this guy, don’t miss it. In fact, you can catch him on The Late Show with David Letterman on Tuesday, June 28. Stay up late and watch one of the best emerging talents you’ll see this year.

Earlier this week, I told you about the death of guitarist Mark Manetta. Sadly, yesterday was also the day of the memorial for bassist Bob Stata, who died after a long illness. Bob was a true gentleman, and one hell of a bass player. He also believed in working with kids and in giving back to his community. He will be missed. A tribute is planned for later this year. Stay tuned.

Jason at the 2005 Rochester International Jazz Festival (Part 4)

Jason Crane — Fri, 17 Jun 2005 16:05:12 +0000

Once again, it’s that bittersweet time of year when the 2005 Rochester International Jazz Festival is winding down. Most of the bands have played. Most of the jams have happened. And while there are still some outstanding shows on the way, your thoughts can’t help but turn to the realization that in three days most of Rochester will forget about jazz for 51 weeks.

I worked the door at the Montage Grille again last night. The Moutin Reunion Quartet blazed away inside, one of the hottest acts of the festival. People left raving about the band after the first set, and the word quickly spread, with people coming in as much as two hours before the second set to make sure they got a seat. I heard that the band will be back in Rochester in the fall — don’t miss them. They’ve also got a new record coming out in August, the follow-up to their excellent album Red Moon.

I spent a lot of time last night chatting with some of my favorite jazz people in town. In addition to Erik Telford (whose Miles Radio blog is worth your time), I talked with Gerry Youngman and Jared Schonig of Paradigm Shift. If you’ve never checked them out, do yourself a favor and catch them. You can find out more about the band here, and you can read a review I wrote of their album Shifting Times. If you’ve read the program for the Rochester International Jazz Festival, then you’ve already read most of the review, because it was copied — without attribution — in the program. What’s that Tom Lehrer tune?

UPDATE: Turns out the program notes are provided by the artists, so the festival is not at fault. And of course the Paradigm Shift guys are friends of mine, and I’m sure they meant no harm. But it is important to remember that published work should be credited.

Jason at the 2005 Rochester International Jazz Festival (Part 3)

Jason Crane — Thu, 16 Jun 2005 16:41:47 +0000

If you’re a jazz fan, you have to feel like a kid in a candy store during the 2005 Rochester International Jazz Festival. Great names in jazz and world music from several continents. The streets are filled with people. Rochester seems like the center of the jazz world. More about that in a minute.

I got reassigned last night to the Montage Grille, rather than Kilbourn Hall. That was fine with me — although it meant that I missed the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble, founded by one of my faves, Kahil El Zabar. Instead, though, I got to see two sets by one of the biggest draws of the festival: the Lew Tabackin Trio. Lew played two sets of mainstream jazz, led by his tenor and flute and featuring Boris Koslov on bass and Mark Taylor on drums. The crowd ate it up like it was the last show they’d ever see. Completely sold-out houses for both sets.

I also took in the first half of the movie Miles Electric: A Different Kind of Blue. This film focuses on Miles’ 1970 performance at the Isle of Wight festival. The first half of the documentary features interviews with the musicians who played with Miles in that era — Dave Liebman, Keith Jarrett, Jack DeJohnette, Pete Cosey, Airto Moreira, Dave Holland, and many more — and others who were inspired by him, the most interesting of whom was Carlos Santana. The film also features the usual cast of characters — led by Stanley Crouch — taking potshots at electric Miles. I had to leave before the concert footage came on, but the film is out on DVD, so I’ll get a chance to check it out. It was very capably introduced by my friend Erik Telford, the host of Miles Radio on Jazz90.1.

Now back to the impact the festival is having on the city of Rochester.

I’m not privy to too many insider stories, but from where I sit, I think the city is really missing the boat when it comes to this festival. Let’s face it, folks: Rochester’s manufacturing days are over. Say it with me one more time: Rochester’s manufacturing days are over. If this town has any chance of regaining a slice of its former glory, it needs to turn to other sources of attracting people and revenue. Forget High Falls, where no one lives and no one could live, and focus on things like the Rochester International Jazz Festival.

As an example, just look at Montreal. In 2004, the Montreal International Jazz Festival drew 1.9 million people. That’s right, nearly 2 million jazz fans went to Montreal from all over the world, injecting millions upon millions of dollars into that city’s economy. “Sure,” you may be saying, “but that’s a big city.” Folks, don’t kid yourselves. The Rochester International Jazz Festival is one of the top 10 festivals in the U.S. already, in just its fourth year. Can you even imagine the impact on our city from Montreal-level tourism? If even 10% as many people each spent $100 here, that’s $19 million into Rochester’s coffers. (By the way — Monroe County is $19.5 million in the hole. I’m just sayin’.) And that’s completely achievable — but only if the city takes a much more active role in subsidizing the festival, advertising the festival, and integrating the festival into Rochester’s core image.

Yes, it will cost some money. Yes, it will take some vision and initiative. But it’s worth it. Rochester could be one of the centers of the jazz world. And that will benefit all of us. Let’s make it happen.

UPDATE: For more festival reviews and commentary, check out Erik Telford’s excllent Miles Radio site.

Jason at the 2005 Rochester International Jazz Festival (Part 2)

Jason Crane — Wed, 15 Jun 2005 20:34:40 +0000

Last night was another fun night at the 2005 Rochester International Jazz Festival. I volunteered at Kilbourn Hall, part of the Eastman School of Music. Kora player Mamadou Diabate and balafon player Balla Kouyate performed two sets of enchanting music. You may know Mamadou from his work with Ben Allison — he appeared on the album Peace Pipe with Ben in 2002.

My highly skilled job at the show was to count the people with a little clicker as they walked in. Just to make me even more superfluous (zing!), there was an Eastman student standing two feet away doing the exact same job. Huzzah!

Later in the evening, I saw Chick Corea with his new band, Touchstone. If I only see Chick once in my life, I’m glad it was last night. This band hearkens back to Chick’s albums like My Spanish Heart, Touchstone, and Friends, some of my favorite Chick recordings. The band was phenomenal.

Many good friends were in attendance throughout the night, too, which was great. It’s so much fun to see all these folks again, renewing some old connections and catching up with good people.

Tonight, I’m working at Kilbourn Hall again for two sets by the Ethnic Heritage Ensemble. I also plan to take in a new movie about Miles Davis’s 1970 performance at the Isle of Wight festival. It’s a dirty job, but somebody’s got to do it.

Jason at the 2005 Rochester International Jazz Festival (Part 1)

Jason Crane — Tue, 14 Jun 2005 16:41:28 +0000

Last night, I volunteered at the Montage Grille during the 2005 Rochester International Jazz Festival. This really is one of the great festivals in the U.S. — in just its fourth year.

What made the evening so special was seeing the jazz crowd that I haven’t seen since leaving Jazz90.1 last November. It was great to be remembered. Sometimes it’s nice to have that affirmation for your past work. And it was exciting to see the number of young fans attending the gigs. I was working at the Joe La Barbera show, which was excellent. I also managed to catch two songs by The Bad Plus. Fun!

The evening’s joy was touched by sadness, too. I learned last night of the death earlier this week of guitarist Mark Manetta. I’ve been so off the scene that I hadn’t heard about Mark’s passing. He was a special human being, and I’ll write more about him soon.