Caught a few songs from Catherine Russell‘s
sensational swing set at the Harro East Ballroom before venturing into the
Italian microcosm that is the Rochester Club’s “Viva Italia” series to catch
the Luca Ciarla Quartet. The band’s sound was edgy and fast with the
accordion player wielding the squeezebox as if it were a percussive instrument
one minute, a distant relative to a drunken church organ the next. The lead
violin offered some light variations at lightning speed, bringing to mind the
gypsies that dance in my head nightly.
Sashayed my way to Max of Eastman Place to hear bassist/vocalist Brandi
Disterheftsing sweet and spend plenty of time at the high end of the
neck searching for those magic bumps and toots that live up there. This would
have seemed un-pre-meditated and random had her band (Little Jimmy Scott’s
boys, by the way) not tailgated her for the duration of the trip.
Missouri ‘sHa Ha Tonkaserved a heaping helping of
the thrash and twang to end my night at Abilene
, which has been home plate for me after doing the crowded mob mambo each
night. The band is hot and sweet; hot, rootsy Americana
— rootsier in fact than most — as the quartet magically pulled off five-party
harmony on its opening number to a packed tent. Not sure how it did that. I
think a deal with the devil might be involved.
Saw a banjo player briefly rattlin’ and twangin’ on East
Avenue
, but he vanished before I could get my camera out. Again, the devil may
have something to do with it. And there’s been a trio playing next to Abilene
all week: three dudes that play it bluesy and cool with two saxes
and one guitar — and sometimes the old Benny Goodman licorice stick. I think
you can summon the devil with one of those.
Speaking of Old Scratch, he’s on his way and will be accompanying me as I
check out Kim Lenz and Her Jaguars and Gypsophilia Monday night. Stop and say
hi… I’ll be the one with the horns.
Looking for more of City’s Jazz Fest coverage? Click
here for City’s 2012 Jazz Fest Guide, click here for
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This article appears in Bye bye unions?.
