Jazz Fest 2015, Day 1: Frank reviews Diana Krall, David Gibson’s “Boom,” and Mavericks

I’ve debated for years whether Diana Krall’s poker
face was out of boredom or the fact the chick is pretty damn cool.
Krall’s 4 p.m. matinee at Kodak Hall? Boredom. She was rather unfocused
and bored. Now in her defense, the sold-out crowd was a cadaver convention and
it’s hard to vibe off a bunch of stiffs. But Krall did not play a theater-level
set but rather grabbed the air for tunes as if taking requests at a three-set
gin joint engagement. Songs by Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, and The Eagles mixed
as best they could along with the Fats Waller and Nat King Cole we’ve come to
expect. Don’t get me wrong, it was by no means a crumby show. Her band was in
the pocket — especially the guitarist –and her voice still winds me every time;
it just struck me as a bit slapdash.

Slipped over to The Rochester Club to dig David Gibson’s “Boom.”
The band hit the stage like a splashdown with an exuberant and flashy display.
Jaws dropped with surprise when trombone and trumpet played the same melody and
didn’t play the same melody at the same time. I know that doesn’t make any
sense, but I was there and I saw it. The quintet certainly made the music go “boom.”

I’m not one to concern myself with a band’s fashion too much,
really, but the Mavericks looked like a thrift store Easter parade
during the band’s fantastic set on the East and Chestnut main stage. With
outfits that ranged from slick caballero to day-glo
rude boy, the band mixed tejano with a little oom-pa-pa push beneath a slick countrypolitan
veneer. Singer Raul Malo is right up there with Roy
Orbison and Marty Roberts with his achingly beautiful voice full of heartbreak
and heart repair. He banged a sweet take on “Blue Bayou” into the cheap seats
as well as a handful of Maverick hits. Great show, jack. No boredom here.

Onto day 2 … stay with me.

This article appears in Jun 17-23, 2015.