Cover Story
ART: The center of the universe
“Happy Birthday to a Beautiful Woman” by Mickalene Thomas Through October 19 George Eastman House, 900 East Avenue Tuesday-Saturday: 10 p.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m.-5 p.m. | $5-$12 | 271-3361; eastmanhouse.org. Children spend their lives orbiting their origins, barely conscious of the gravity their parents’ lives have on their own. Much like our…
NY’s top court says local governments can ban fracking
Fracking bans in the towns of Dryden and Middlefield will stand under a ruling issued this morning by the state’s top court. A panel of State Court of Appeals judges said that towns and villages can use zoning laws to prohibit fracking, as Dryden and Middlefield did. They basically said that oil and gas drilling,…
“True Blood” Season 7, Episode 2: “You Found Me”
Real talk: if the episode had ended after the first 5-minute scene between Jason and Eric, I would have considered a triumph. A, um, “rousing” success. Jason Stackhouse sex dreams are always good for the soul, and Jason Stackhouse wrestling with, and then giving himself up to, Eric Northman…yes. This is what we wanted. All…
Jazz Fest, Final Night: Frank reviews Cyrille Aimee, Joe Beard, George Thorogood and the Destroyers, and Chuck Mead and His Grassy Knoll Boys
Cyrille Aimee was as sweet as can be during her early set at Max. The French vocalist started out rather standard where her talent and tone shone on tunes such as “Young At Heart” and Nina Simone’s “Love Me, Leave Me.” But from there she morphed from storied songstress to scat princess. Her scat was…
Jazz Fest, Final Night: Ron reviews Newport Jazz Festival All Stars, Stephanie Trick, and Scott Feiner & Pandeiro Jazz
Imagine Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and Spider-Man all working together. That’s what it was like when the Newport Jazz Festival All Stars took the stage to celebrate the great festival’s 60th anniversary at Kilbourn Hall Saturday night. There was trumpeter Randy Brecker, clarinetist-saxophonist Anat Cohen, singer Karrin Allyson, pianist Peter Martin, guitarist Mark Whitfield, bassist…
Jazz Fest, Final Night: Nicole reviews Ester Rada
I celebrated the end of the week by partying with Ester Rada in the Unity Health Big Tent…
Jazz Fest, Final Night: Nicole reviews Norma Winstone
I made my way back to Xerox Auditorium to see British vocalist Norma Winstone, who offered up a set of musically intricate pieces; her performance was one of the more sophisticated I’d seen at Jazz Fest. Her voice is reminiscent of Joni Mitchell, and her first tune supported the comparison. It was lyrically driven and…
Jazz Fest, Day 8: Ron reviews Harold Danko, Phaedra Kwant, and The Wee Trio
With all of the national and international jazz luminaries in town, it’s easy to overlook Rochester’s local jazz greats. Eastman School of Music professor Harold Danko played with Chet Baker, Lee Konitz, Gerry Mulligan and others before he became a professor. In his Hatch Hall concert he told stories about his evolution as a pianist-composer…
Jazz Fest, Day 8: Nicole reviews Ibrahim Electric
An eclectic mix of people packed into Montage Music Hall to see Ibrahim Electric’s second show. The Danish trio started…
Jazz Fest, Day 8: Frank reviews Bill Frisell, the Dirt Daubers
The tunes that guitar wizard Bill Frisell selected for his “Guitar in the Space Age” set at Kilbourn Hall were…
Jazz Fest, Day 7: Frank reviews Joey DeFrancesco, Buddy Guy, pops in at Party in the Park for Lucinda Williams, and then back to Jazz Fest for Selwyn Birchwood
The bobbing head with the van dyke be-bopping behind the B3 was its reigning king, Joey DeFrancesco. DeFranceso spent the better part of an hour wringing the instrument out as if it were a washcloth. With an abbreviated yet capable crew — guitar and drums — the cat slathered and slaughtered with exuberant execution and…
Jazz Fest, Day 7: Ron reviews Manuel Valera, Anders Hagberg Quartet, and Ian Shaw
Manuel Valera is a native of Cuba, and English is not his first language. His first language is piano and he speaks it eloquently…
Jazz Fest, Day 7: Nicole reviews Cyndi Cain
Cyndi Cain is a superstar. I could hear her voice booming loud and clear for blocks before I reached the venue. Serving up tunes that had a funky soul vibe, Cain’s pipes were a force to be reckoned with last night. Her body moved with her voice, and she waved her hands and bobbed her…
Replacing schools comes with a hidden price
Rochester schools Superintendent Bolgen Vargas has been pretty clear that he doesn’t like phasing out low-performing schools in favor of new schools as a way to improve academic achievement. The model is one of the options the State Education Department allows school districts with failing or so-called priority schools to use to turn around low…
Outing conversion therapy’s ills
When Mathew Shurka told his father he was gay, he says his dad was initially supportive and understanding. “My father gave me the best answer any son could ask for, ‘No matter what happens, I love you,'” Shurka says. But then his father began to worry that Shurka, who lives in New York City, faced…
Jazz Fest 2014, Day 6: Photos from Lucky Peterson at the Big Tent
Ashleigh Deskins photographs Lucky Peterson and his band performing at the Unity Health Big Tent.
Jazz Fest 2014, Day 6: Ron reviews Warren Wolf, Brian Kellock and Tommy Smith, the Jonathan Gee Trio, and David’s Angels
Watching the blur of mallets in the hands of Warren Wolf at Max, I realized that great vibraphonists…
Jazz Fest 2014, Day 6: Nicole reviews the Mike Stern/Bill Evans Band
When I entered the Harro East Ballroom to see the Mike Stern/Bill Evans Band, the crowd…
Jazz Fest 2014, Day 6: Frank reviews Diane Schuur, 5Head, and Rebel Montez with Christine Ohlman’s ‘code of cool’
Diane Schuur has the voice of an angel with a rusty halo. That is to say, it’s angelic but Schuur flexes it with sex appeal and impish glee. She’s one hep chick. Opening so wonderful and swinging, the first lady of vocal jazz went from scat to lyric, from contralto squeal to a hooker appeal…
Council hears recommendations for Frontier upgrades, other projects
Soon, the Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Council will have to figure out which of 200 or so projects to recommend to the state for funding. That’s approximately the number of applications the council received. And this afternoon, council members heard presentations from sector-specific work groups about the projects they say should get priority. There…
Report takes on beach water quality
A new report pegs Ontario Park beach in Charlotte as one of 17 public bathing beaches across the county with persistent contamination problems that lead to a large number of temporary closings. The report from the Natural Resources Defense Council says that each of the beaches failed to meet public health benchmarks more than 25 percent…
Jazz Fest 2014, Day 5: Ron reviews Louis Hayes & The Cannonball Adderley Legacy Band, Forever Young, and Tessa Souter
I began Tuesday evening in Kilbourn Hall with Louis Hayes & The Cannonball Adderley Legacy Band. I found out later that Hayes had a medical issue and the 10 p.m. show was cancelled. But he seemed fine, if a bit subdued, during the 6 p.m. show. Because Hayes had actually played with the Cannonball Adderley…
Jazz Fest 2014, Day 5: Frank reviews The Lustre Kings, dodges the rain, and finds Lucky Peterson
Albany’s The Lustre Kings are a fine example of more than one style of music living together in harmony. Yes, the band offers vintage classics, or a vintage lens which to listen through. But the hillbilly side of the Lustre Kings goes toe to toe with its jazzier/swing side. Generally that equation would equal rockabilly…
DINING REVIEW: Dogtown
There might not be a more quintessentially American summer food than the hot dog. When the weather gets hot, franks get the backyard grill treatment, feeding packs of kids damp from a Slip ‘n’ Slide. Hots are served from wheeled carts to people looking for a quick, workday lunch. And perhaps unlucky wieners lazily roll…
COMEDY | Dirty Hoe Comedy Show
On Wednesday, June 25, the women of the Dirty Hoe Comedy Show will bring their raunchy brand of stand-up to Rochester. Founded and produced by Rochester native Jennifer Salzman and fellow comic Francesca Day, the show features comedians who primarily discuss the lives of women in New York City. The predominantly female show (guys are…
Feedback 6/25
We welcome your comments. Send them to themail@rochester-citynews.com, or post them on our website, rochestercitynewspaper.com, our Facebook page, or our Twitter feed, @roccitynews. For our print edition, we select comments from all three sources; those of fewer than 350 words have a greater chance of being published, and we do edit selections for publication in…
SPECIAL EVENT | Fun With Fid
“The Kingdom Next to Fid” is an upcoming original fantasy play premiering at MuCCC Theater this August. While theatergoers and fantasy fans alike will have to wait until later this summer to check out the production, MuCCC is hosting Fun With Fid in anticipation of the play. Fun With Fid is a chance for anyone…
Crunch time in the Legislature
The State Legislature has a long-standing tradition of passing a slew of legislation on the last day or two of its session. This year, the crunch included bills for a medical marijuana program, an extension of the brownfields tax credit program through early 2017, and a bill to add Family Court judges, including one for…
BALLET | “Swan Lake”
This weekend, Ballet Prestige will present Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake,” perhaps one of the most renowned classical ballets in history. While the exact origins of the folk story aren’t entirely known, the tale of princess Odette’s transformation into a swan by a mysterious sorcerer has been passed down for centuries. Tchaikovsky’s ballet premiered in 1877. Ballet…
Police reorg splits Southeast
It’s not exactly buyer’s remorse — after all, the police reorganization hasn’t happened yet — but some neighborhood leaders are concerned that if the restructuring goes through as proposed, it could damage long-established working relationships. Many neighborhood groups have pushed for changes in policing to improve response times and police-community relations. The concern is mainly…
SPECIAL EVENT | Strawberry Festival
The Trinity Reformed Church of Rochester is holding its annual Strawberry Festival on Wednesday, June 25. A free buffet dinner celebrating the start of the strawberry harvest, the Strawberry Festival places a seasonal twist on church picnics. While the expected picnic food is sure to be present (hamburgers, salads, hot dogs, baked beans), the Trinity…
“Jersey Boys”
Although he’s ridden the dusty trails of many Westerns and nailed scores of criminals in San Francisco and other cities, Clint Eastwood constantly expands his cinematic vision. He seems a most unlikely director for the adaptation of the hit Broadway musical, “Jersey Boys,” for example, but some of his films exhibit not only his versatility…
Urban Action 6/25
This week’s calls to action include the following events and activities. (All are free and open to the public, unless otherwise noted.) Film chronicles environmental movement The Flying Squirrel Community Space will show the documentary film “A Fierce Green Fire” by Mark Kitchell at 7 p.m. on Monday, July 7. The film, which is based…
“Obvious Child”
Since its debut at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, “Obvious Child” has consistently been referred to as “the abortion romantic-comedy,” a reductive — if still fairly accurate — description of the film, which manages to tackle a hot-button issue with wit and honesty, while operating within the confines of a crowd-pleasing (and filthy)…
ROCK | Wisdom Kids
Rochester-based band Wisdom Kids combine a love of several different genres and artists to create its own sophisticated approach to music-making. The band is highly influenced by both 90’s grunge and lo-fi with hints of bright, acoustic folk scattered throughout its discography. Rather than simply becoming a straight-forward grunge band, Wisdom Kids chose to surprise…
“A Little Night Music”
Pittsford Musicals has discovered sex. And in the nicest way possible, with a production of “A Little Night Music,” the Stephen Sondheim-Hugh Wheeler musical that details the amorous entanglements of a group of turn-of-the-20th-century Swedes. If this seems like a major change from this group’s generally family-friendly fare like “The Sound of Music,” “Annie,” and…
We have a casino glut!
“Casino Boom Pinches Northeastern States.” That was the headline on a Wall Street Journal story last week. There are now so many casinos and racetrack racinos in this region that their owners are pleading for help, the Journal said. And state governments are worrying as a big source of tax revenue shrinks. Really? And is…
MUSIC REVIEW: Willie Nelson
Party’s all over before it begins I was feeling a country vibe as I saddled up the boys and headed out to CMAC on Saturday for the Willie Nelson show. After a bad winter, it finally seemed like a perfect night for an outdoor event. Concertgoers packed the venue and my sweet seat under the shell made…
CLASSICAL | David Gray with the Rochester Theater Organ Society
Young theater organist David Gray visits the Rochester Theater Organ Society on Sunday to share his acclaimed skills. Born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1990, Gray has earned recognition for his talents, including awards from the American Theatre Organ Society. Created during the silent film era, the theater organ contains an array of sounds that can…
ROOTS ROCK | Lucinda Williams
Lucinda Williams’ 1988 album, “Lucinda Williams,” is one of my top 10 favorite albums of all time. The first time I caught her casual bluesy wail, I was hooked. Then I saw her live and I was sold. Though somewhat of a balladeer a la Parsons and Prine, the three-time Grammy award winning Williams is…
AMERICANA | Late night sessions at Abilene
The next week or so seems to be all about the jazz, and if the Jazz Fest has you primed for more live music way past your bedtime, just head over to Abilene where their late night sessions will keep your fuse lit. The rest of this week, watch for: Pickled Brain From Outer Space,…
JAZZ | The Dave Rivello Jazz Ensemble
It’s two days after the Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival and you’re still feeling that itch. You can’t quit cold turkey, so get back down to Gibbs Street where you’ll find the Dave Rivello Jazz Ensemble waiting in Kilbourn Hall. Since its founding in 1993, the ensemble has been Rochester’s premier big band. Grammy-winning jazz…
JAZZ | Bernunzio’s Jazz Series
Bernunzio Uptown Music, perhaps best known to Rochester citizens as purveyors of rare and vintage musical instruments, has transformed into a truly unique music venue, offering its own music series during the Jazz Festival. Bernunzio’s Jazz Series featured eight days of music to coincide with the Jazz Festival, and the remaining days include local favorites…
ART | “Memory City” at Visual Studies Workshop
In the exhibition “Memory City,” Brooklyn-based photographers Alex Webb and Rebecca Norris Webb explore post-Kodak Rochester, meditating on time, memory, and the waning era of film. A portion of the exhibition fittingly consists of photos shot on Kodachrome, a color film once produced by Kodak that can now only be developed in black in white.…
THEATER | “Next Fall”
As a part of its 50th Anniversary Season, Bristol Valley Theatre presents Tony Award-nominated play “Next Fall.” The play focuses on two gay men, Luke and Adam, in a serious, committed relationship. Luke, however, is deeply religious while Adam is an atheist. Their religious differences come to a head when Luke is injured in a…
SPECIAL EVENT | Discover Madagascar Day
Seneca Park Zoo contains a number of animals native to Madagascar, including certain species of hedgehogs, geckos, snakes, and cockroaches. In celebration of these creatures’ native land, the Zoo will host Discover Madagascar Day on the 54th anniversary of the nation’s independence from France. Games and puzzles will be available for children, and docents will…
Jazz Fest 2014, Day 4: Ron reviews Vijay Iyer Trio, Kari Ikonen Trio, and Julian Lage and Nels Cline
Vijay Iyer was clearly relishing his homecoming during his trio’s concert Monday night. It had been a decade since his last XRIJF performance at Max of Eastman Place, and after winning just about every award there is to win in the jazz world, the former Fairport resident was elevated to Kilbourn Hall. His joy clearly…
Jazz Fest 2014, Day 4: Frank reviews Bonerama, Melissa Aldana and Crash Trio, Don Mancuso and DDrive, and Jeanne Jolly
Good evening Mr. and Mrs. America and all the ships at sea. Let’s go to press: the Big Easy trombone onslaught was in full effect tonight as Bonerama (not to be confused with a Vanessa del Rio flick) rocked the Montage stage. Instead of merely flooring it the minute it hit the stage, the horn-driven…
Jazz Fest 2014, Day 4: Nicole reviews Catherine Russell
Catherine Russell is a clear Jazz Fest crowd favorite. Patrons packed wall-to-wall into the Harro East Ballroom to see the daughter of the late Luis Russell. And when she appeared on stage in a glittery silver top, the audience responded with enthusiastic cheers. Russell’s strong, soulful voice was near-perfection as she plowed through one classic…
Jazz Fest 2014, Day 3: Jake reviews the Jon Ballantyne Trio
It took a little time for the Jon Ballantyne Trio to grow on me. And even then, I didn’t leave Xerox Auditorium impressed. It is absolutely clear that pianist Jon Ballantyne, drummer Adam Nussbaum, and bassist Evan Gregor are talented musicians and in certain moments they worked well together. But that’s what makes the trio’s…
Jazz Fest 2014, Day 3: Ron reviews Cécile McLorin Salvant, Gerald Clayton, and Euan Burton
To say Cécile McLorin Salvant was great in her Kilbourn Hall performance Sunday evening would be an understatement. She understood, inhabited, and delivered the Great American Songbook like no one else I’ve ever heard. In fact, you could say she excavated forgotten parts of it and struck gold. I thought I knew it pretty well,…
Jazz Fest 2014, Day 3: Videos of The Hot Club of Detroit, and Les Doigts de l’Homme
The Hot Club of Detroit played the Unity Health Big Tent on Sunday, June 22. They play free shows at the Jazz Street stage on Monday, June 23 at 7:15 and 9:15 pm. VIDEO BY MATT DETURCK Les Doigts de l’Homme played the Montage Music Hall on Sunday, June 22. They also play shows at…
“True Blood” Season 7, Episode 1: “Jesus Gonna Be Here”
If the final-season premiere was any indication, “True Blood” is going to be limping to the finish line. That makes me sad. What was once one of the greatest guilty pleasures on television has become such an echo of itself that it can’t even do exploitative trash right. I found Sunday night’s episode largely boring,…
Jazz Fest 2014, Day 3: Frank reviews Brubeck Brothers Quartet and Rachel Brooke Band
Sunday evening and the crowds were a little lighter and not as frenzied, frazzled, and frantic as the night before. What’s cool for this festival is how much Brubeck it has exposed us to over the years. Whether it’s been the Sisters Euclid, tonight’s appearance by the Brubeck Brothers, or the man himself (who insisted…
Jazz Fest 2014, Day 3: Nicole shares her thoughts on Brubeck Brothers Quartet
Dan and Chris Brubeck, sons of legendary jazz pianist Dave Brubeck, brought their family’s secret recipe to Harro East Ballroom on Sunday night. The Brubeck Brothers Quartet drew a large crowd, perhaps due to the family name. People sat mesmerized, taking in a healthy balance of original tunes, Dave Brubeck classics, and jazz standards. Regardless…
Jazz Fest 2014, Day 2: Jake reviews Snarky Puppy
Hands down, my favorite part of seeing a band live is the spontaneous smile that creeps across a performer’s face. I don’t mean the “look nice for the crowd and pretend” smile. It’s the smile that happens after a musician pulls off a momentous build, or their bandmate wraps up a ridiculous solo. In that…
Jazz Fest 2014, Day 2: Ron reviews Jason Marsalis Vibes Quartet, Sunna Gunnlaugs Trio, and the John Escreet/Tyshawn Sorey Duo
At Kilbourn Hall on Saturday night, the Jason Marsalis Vibes Quartet provided a stark counterpoint to many XRIJF bands. Instead of the loose-fitting clothes favored by physically active musicians, all four of them wore suits and ties. This buttoned-down look would seem to contradict the freedom inherent in jazz, but even that freedom was under…
Jazz Fest 2014, Day 2: Frank reviews Diana Panton, Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers, and Woody Pines
I know it ain’t a race or a contest — in fact I hope we all win — but in comparing some artists, not all come out equal. Though Julie London remains one of my true loves (she was married to Jack Webb, by the way) Roberta Gambarini’s jaw-dropping performance at Kilbourn Hall on opening…
Jazz Fest 2014, Day 2: Nicole reviews Ryan Dilmore
Singer-songwriter Ryan Dilmore’s stripped-down performance at the Little Theatre was simple and lyrical. While Jazz Fest typically calls to mind images of funky bands playing on big outdoor stages, Dilmore’s music was a welcome reprieve from the fray. A Victor native, Dilmore said that the opportunity to perform at the festival was “honestly a dream…
Jazz Fest 2014, Day 1: Nicole reviews Lorraine Klaasen
From the moment Lorraine Klaasen opened her mouth, the singer brought vibrancy, in every sense of the word, to the otherwise bleak Xerox Auditorium space. Decked out in exciting colors and filling the stuffy hall with full-bodied gritty vocals, Klaasen was riffing and growling with each note. It was clear she was there to have…
Jazz Fest 2014, Day 1: Frank reviews Roberta Gambarini, Janelle Monae, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, and Nikki Hill
Tonight started off with a sweet ka-boom as we followed the notes Tuscan beauty Roberta Gambarini squeezed out into oblivion. The queen of fade and control, Gambarini and her trio peppered the set with Argentinian, American, and Italian classics elegantly and effortlessly. Dressed like a leopard print mermaid, Gambarini affected the tones of saxophone and…
Jazz Fest 2014, Day 1: Ron reviews Sun Trio, Partisans, and Holophonor
At the Lutheran Church Friday night, Finland’s Sun Trio seemed caught between the past and future of jazz. When trumpeter Jorma Kalevi Louhivuori played his instrument traditionally he had exceptional range, from melodic to abstract, and from gorgeous to guttural. Simply put, the man had incredible chops. But, about half the time, he insisted on…
JAZZ FEST 2014: Meet City’s jazz bloggers
Ron Netsky XRIJF Music Director John Nugent’s slogan, “It’s not who you know, it’s who you don’t know,” rings true for me. Every year at the festival, I purposely seek out artists I don’t know and that usually means taking in acts from the United Kingdom and Scandinavia. So it’s a good bet you’ll find…
Jazz Fest 2014: What’s FREE at the Fest
While the Eastman Theatre headliners and Club Pass shows require tickets, the 2014 Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival is loaded with free concerts — more than 80 free shows on 6 stages during the nine-day festival (June 20-28). These concerts tend to fill up, so if you want a good spot, show up early (and…
