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Despite her sunny looks, Bria Skonberg harbors a little darkness. She played around in minor keys, and introduced me
to my new favorite tune, Sidney Bechet’s “Egyptian Fantasy.” The way she worked
around its haunting Duke Ellington-esque elegance was
tres cool.
I couldn’t make up my mind if I liked her horn playing or her
singing more. Skonberg’s horn was clean with a lot of
presence from her perfect armature to the way it lead the charge for her band,
especially her clarinet player who snaked around with the trumpet to create a
breathtaking New Orleans-rooted spectacle. There were faint hints of Dixieland
in the air. Her voice was as fresh and clean as frozen Pepsodent,
and some of her lyrics were noir-ish in mood and
texture but ultimately up-beat and up-lifting. Skonberg
was charming in the extreme. And the packed Harro
East Ballroom crowd ate her up.
Bernunzio’s is putting up large
pictures on its windows to celebrate Rochester’s musical icons, and guess what?
I’m an Icon. Thanks guys; I’m floored, flummoxed, and humbled. I performed
there tonight next to my picture. I was beside myself.
Meanwhile, back at the party, they were jumping for Joy
because she wouldn’t get off the chandelier…
And meanwhile, back at the Jazz Fest…
I skated over to Xerox Auditorium (it’s a bit of a haul) to
dig on some Brubeck Blood playing Brubeck. I’m sure his last name opens doors
and answers phones, but Dan Brubeck is a killer drummer who I believe I
saw play with his dad, Dave, once upon a time. Though it wasn’t the old man
playing them, it was still a thrill to hear “Blue Rondo a la Turk” played
expertly or “Take 5” with its innovative 5/4 time signature played with the
guitar playing Paul Desmond’s signature part as there was no saxophone or saxophonist
to be found.
I’m just hitting my stride kids. Wednesday night it’s Tia Brazda. Weeee!
This article appears in Jun 22-28, 2016.
