To take full advantage of all the RIJF has to offer, you
have some planning to do. Read this section for short descriptions of nearly
every act in the festival. Our critics — Frank De Blase,
Ron Netsky, Chad Oliveiri, Saby Reyes-Kulkarni, and Eric
Rezsnyak — give you the information you need to decide which acts you want to
catch.
The boxes
are organized alphabetically by first name; refer to our full festival calendar
to see when an artist will appear. Also, check out the introductory article for
logistics for all the venues and ticket information.
Badi Assad
Badi Assad plays the guitar. And Badi Assad plays her body. Born in Sao Paulo, Assad grew up in the shadow of her
two brothers Sergio and Odair, the international
classical guitar sensations Duo Assad. But the shadow turned into an influence.
Her music is broad and worldly, made even more so by her polyrhythmic,
polytonal sound. Her guitar playing is as much about her right-handed abuse as
it is the gentle chords she grips. Even her vocals are percussively augmented
with mouth clicks and pops. This woman starts to play and the place is gonnamooooooove, I’m tellin’ ya. (FD)
Ben Allison Quartet
Ben Allison is among the most active players on the Manhattan jazz scene,
leading the Jazz Composers Collective and the Herbie
Nichols Project. His own groups have produced some of the most innovative jazz
anywhere. As a bassist he specializes in expanding the sound of the instrument
and on his new album, Cowboy Justice,
he solidifies his reputation as a composer. His new group — Ron Horton on
trumpet and flugelhorn, Steve Cardenas on guitar, and Jeff Ballard on drums —
creates a distinctive sound that should be among the most forward-leaning at
the festival. (RN)
Bill Dobbins Trio
The multitudinous chops at Bill Dobbins’ fingertips are
rivaled only by those in his knowledge box. Dobbins is not only schools on the
piano, but he teaches at Eastman School
of Music, where he’s a
real-life professor of jazz studies, conductor of The Eastman Jazz Ensemble and
coordinator of The Eastman Studio Orchestra, and runs the jazz composition and
arranging program. Through his stint as principal director of The WDR Big Band
in Cologne, Germany, Dobbins rubbed elbows with
the likes of Clark Terry, Kevin Mahogany, and PaquitoD’Rivera. (FD)
Bill Tiberio Group
Rochester
sax man Bill Tiberio can blow ragged when he wants
to, but generally opts for smoother pastures. Above a generally funky groove Tiberio plays contempo and clean.
Tiberio teaches music at FairportHigh School
and is involved in numerous community groups and ensembles. (FD)
Billy Bang Quintet
No matter where Billy Bang has gone musically, or
physically, he always winds up back with the violin. Bang studied the violin as
a tyke, moved onto drums (Afro-Cuban in particular), and then picked up a rifle
for Uncle Sam during Vietnam.
He hit upon saxophone a bit in the early ’70s before moving back to the
stringed instrument that he plays as if it were a third arm. Bang’s tone is
slippery and raw as it weaves progressively about his quintet’s swing with a
pleasant and evocative touch or guttural and ominous slash. (FD)
Bob Sneider Trio
You haven’t fully experienced the RIJF until you visit the Crowne Plaza Hotel’s State Street Bar & Grill for an
after-hours jam session with the Bob Sneider Trio.
There’s nothing Sneider and his band-mates — Mike Melito, drums and Phil Flanigan,
bass — can’t handle, from a gifted high school student who wants to step into
the spotlight for the first time to the festival’s top performers who simply
can’t come down after a hot gig. Past guests sitting in have included George
Benson, Eric Alexander, Chris Potter and many more. (RN)
BraamDeJoodeVatcher
This Dutch piano/bass/drums group delves far into
abstraction, even claiming that it has “nothing to do with the traditional jazz
piano trio” as it consciously avoids the seriousness and overt un-listenability that mires many of its free/experimental
brethren. Pianist/main composer MichielBraam’s music certainly presents challenges, but the Trio’s
whimsical, almost mischievous approach to improvisation ensures the listener’s
inclusion in the feeling of adventure. Anyone familiar with the Trio’s
reinterpretations of Monk (or bassist Wilbert de Joode’s
April Bop Shop appearance backing AbBaars’ all-Ellington program) knows how these guys take
inside-out and turn it inside out with splendid results. (SRK)
Bruce Katz Band
In past years when the Jazz Fest line up took a detour, it
tended to get a little khaki; you know, nice. Well this detour is a bluesy,
ballsy, bad-ass blast of Bruce Katz B-3 soul and boogie-woogie. Ain’tno vanilla here. Katz played
with Barrence Whitfield & The
Savages — one of the wildest r&b bands in the world,
ever. He’s done time with Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters as well. And he’s
sharing the cool with the kids as a professor at Berklee.
This is gonna be goooood.
(FD)
Byron Stripling
Byron Stripling has performed with some of the greatest
names in jazz: Dizzy Gillespie, Dave Brubeck, Lionel Hampton and Clark Terry,
not to mention The Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra and The Carnegie Hall Jazz
Band. He is also a favorite guest with symphony orchestras from Boston to Seattle.
Anyone who has seen him knows that his success is due not only to his command
of the trumpet, but also to his gregarious personality. Stripling is a great
musician and an all-around performer.
Central New York Jazz
Orchestra
The flagship program for the Central New York Jazz Arts
Foundation, this not-for-profit big band is celebrating its 10th anniversary.
(ER)
Charlie Hunter Trio
Hunter’s innovation — to play bass and guitar lines at the
same time on an instrument that’s a combination of both — might have been
doomed to gimmickry if not for how unassumingly (and brilliantly) he pulls it
off. A veteran of a diverse early ’90s Bay Area scene where he brushed elbows
with Primus and Disposable Heroes OfHiphoprisy, Hunter won the favor of both the alternative
and jam band nations early on. Thankfully, he constantly presents new vehicles
and formats for his expression, and his relentless creative searching hasn’t
let up. Behold yet another chapter in his search. (SRK)
Chris Berry & Panjea featuring
Michael Kang
Even if you pay for your whole seat, you’ll only need the
edge when Chris Berry & Panjea play with String
Cheese Incident violinist Michael Kang. Berry
moved from California to Africa
after high school, and there he studied as a spirit caller. Now back in the
States his group’s often techno-sounding rhythms fly in the face of its Latin,
African, and Caribbean overtones. It’s a
wonderful collision that buzzes world beat stylings
without ever landing. Simply put, the music is too intense to bother with
dynamic dips, or to wait up for those too stunned to get up and shake a little.
(FD)
Dave Rivello Ensemble
New York has the Lincoln
Center Jazz Orchestra, Maria Schneider Orchestra and Vanguard Jazz Orchestra,
but Rochester
should not be envious. We’ve got the Dave Rivello
Ensemble. Rivello also leads a band at the Eastman
School of Music, but what makes his own ensemble distinctive is the manner in
which the instrumentation is tailored to Rivello’s
distinctive arrangements of original tunes. Rivello’s
compositions are full of adventurous harmonies (some recall Mingus,
others Stravinsky) and striking melodies. When Rivello
slows down for a ballad like “Sometime” the harmonies are lush and the melody
simply gorgeous. (RN)
Dawn Thomson Quartet
Dawn Thomson was born to sing the songs of Antonio Carlos Jobim. Of course, she can do a lot more. She’s a terrific
guitarist who can pull off a powerful solo. And her repertoire stretches
through the great American songbook. But when she sings and plays Jobim — and I’ve never seen a performance when she didn’t
perform at least one of his tunes — it’s clear that a perfect harmonic
convergence has occurred. (RN)
Dickey Betts
After spending more than 30 years as the lead axeman for the Allman Brothers
Band, Dickey Betts is practically synonymous with Southern rock. What he’s
doing at a jazz festival is certainly up for debate, but Betts’ status as a
music legend is undeniable. In addition to all those Allman
hits he’s had a solo career for decades and even scored a Grammy nod in 2001.
(ER)
Djabe
Like a Buster Poindexter goulash, the rudiments and retro
worldliness of traditional Hungarian music get the jazz jolt from Djabe, a Hungarian sextet centered around
the brilliant bass of lead composer TamasBarabas. The band’s polyrhythmic play coupled with a brassy
jump from the horns certainly has collision potential, but ultimately swings
with both feet — each one in any number of genres and grooves. Unexpected, unique, and fun. (FD)
Dominic Duval & Jimmy Halperin
Bassist Dominic Duval is perhaps most widely recognized for
his ongoing work with Cecil Taylor. Straddling the line between jazz and modern
classical/avant-garde, Duval likes to downplay his
prominence within the greater whole of whatever group he is playing with,
consciously making his basslines less visible when he
feels the music call for it and blurring the line between leader and
accompanist. This duo format with tenor/soprano saxophonist and fellow Bop Shop
veteran Jimmy Halperin arguably leaves Duval with
less room to retreat, however, and together the pair creates a rhythmic pocket
that’s no less active for its absence of drums. (SRK)
Duane Andrews Gypsy Jazz
Duane Andrews was born in Newfoundland, and by the looks of it, it
happened not so long ago. However, when he plays his guitar, you’d swear it was
1934 and you were in Paris.
Andrews stumbled upon his throwback style while studying classical guitar in France. Andrews
picks both authoritatively and sweetly through brisk takes on Gypsy-fied classics like a cool version of The Duke’s “Caravan.”
If he doesn’t play this one when I see him, Imagonna cry. (FD)
Dwayne Dopsie & TheZydecoHellraisers
Of all the not-quite-jazz-bands on the line up this year,
Dwayne Dopsie & TheZydecoHellraisers are closer to
the jazz than anything else. I dunno — sometimes zydeco seems a little jazzier than, say, a jam band.
Anyhow, Dopsie is zydeco
royalty; his dad, Rockin’ Dopsie,
is often referred to as “the king of zydeco.” And now
Dwayne’s vying for a crown of his own. He’s got a squeezebox and nobody’s gonna sleep at night…at least the night he and the ZydecoHellraisers decide to
raise hell at the jazz fest. (FD)
Eddie Henderson Quartet
When Eddie Henderson was growing up in San Francisco his parents sometimes hosted a
touring musician at their home. Before Henderson
realized who his parents’ friend was he criticized the man’s trumpet playing.
Later, he proudly showed the man how well he could play along with his albums,
only to be told, “You sound good, but that’s me.” Henderson eventually became friends with the
man, Miles Davis, and developed his own style. Still, Henderson
was greatly influenced by Davis
over his four-decade career. A couple of years ago he releasedSo What, a
tribute to him. (RN)
e.s.t.
This trio sounds more soulful and engaging than many of the
self-proclaimed “soul” acts out there. The beauty of it is that e.s.t. doesn’t play soul music or even mention the word
“soul” as part of its mission. It sees itself as a pop band playing jazz and
intends its music as a mix of both with a twist of classical. Nonetheless,
feeling flows effortlessly from these guys, and their sound (free of gimmick,
thankfully) revolves around chunky piano chords so rich and immediate it feels
as though you could swim through them. (SRK)
Folk Alarm 5 featuring Kevin Breit
Probably better known as a member of Norah Jones’ Handsome
Band, Canadian mandolin man Kevin Breit puts his
instrument to the test by taking it out of its comfort zone. But a cat who cites both Bill Monroe and Johnny Winter in the same
breath should have no problem with that. Breit’s a
little safer in Miss Jones’ camp, but now he’s forced to keep up with Folk
Alarm 5 as it pumps and swings. Thing is, playing instruments out of their
element is exactly what jazz is about. And when you dig Breit’s
picking in tandem with squeezebox it’ll all make sense. (FD)
Fonfy, Johnny, and Rox Trio
This trio is more of a colab of
stars. Michael Fonfara and John Finley kicked off in
mid-’60s Canada
as The Checkmates. The Checkmates moved to New York City, then to LA where they were
discovered. Changing to Rhinoceros, the band had a hit with “Apricot Brandy.” Fonfara went on to tour with Lou Reed. Composer Robbie Rox lives in Toronto
and fronts The Monster Horn Band. (FD)
Gap Mangione Quintet
You simply couldn’t have any kind of jazz fest here without
this cat. Pianist Gap Mangione kicked things off with
his brother Chuck in the late 1950s as The Jazz Brothers. Mangione
has recorded four platters for A&M, played with Dizzy Gillespie, toured the
world and appeared on national TV. His music was recently sampled by rapper TalibKweli. Famed Rochester musicians Tony
Levin and Steve Gadd’s first ever recordings were on
Gap Mangione affairs. Mangione
plays a residency at Horizon’s Lounge at The Lodge at Woodcliff. He’s ours, dammit. Hearing his music bop around with all the touted
international stuff oughta make us all proud. (FD)
Gray Mayfield and Mark Whitfield
Gray Mayfield was a precocious saxophonist when he was taken
under the wing of Wynton Marsalis. Recognizing his
talent, Marsalis steered him to the University
of New Orleans to study
with his father, Ellis Marsalis. His self-titled album is practically a
Marsalis family affair with Ellis on piano, Delfeayo
Marsalis on trombone and Jason Marsalis on drums. At the RIJF he’ll be joined
by one of the most joyful and lyrical guitar players working today, Mark
Whitfield. (RN)
Greater Rochester
Jazz Orchestra
This 19-piece ensemble formed in the fall of 1998 with the
mission of keeping the jazz stylings of the Count
Basie Orchestra alive. It has done just that under the direction of
composer/musician Dave Rivello and current leader
Roland “Ron” Bowks. (ER)
Hard Logic
Saxophonist Paul DeLoria heads up
this regional band, which mixes smooth jazz, funk, fusion and more with some
international Latin and Celtic vibes. Hard Logic is currently promoting its
first album, Anytime Anywhere, which
should be out (wait for it) any time now. (ER)
Harold Danko & Friends
Listen to Harold Danko’s latest
wonderful album, Hinesight,
and you will immediately understand why his career as a leader and a sideman
has flourished for four decades. Danko, an Eastman
School of Music professor, made his reputation backing greats like Gerry
Mulligan, Chet Baker, and Lee Konitz. But it’s the
albums he’s made as a leader over the past two decades that have solidified his
stature. On HinesightDanko pays tribute to the under-heralded piano great,
Earl “Fatha” Hines. But any of his recent albums, Three of Four, Fantasy Exit, etc. are a
treat. His performance will be too. (RN)
Hayes Greenfield
Trio/Jazz-A-Ma-Tazz
Saxophonist Hayes Greenfield is all over the New York City jazz scene
and has been since the late ’70s. Whether as an educator, band leader,
performer, composer, or children’s filmmaker, Greenfield has his fingers in a lot of pies
when they’re not wrapped around his sax. He has shared the stage with notables
like JakiByard, Rashied Ali, Paul Bley, Barry Altschul, and Richie Havens, and has toured the world. (FD)
Henderson-Schonig Trio featuring
Dr. Lonnie Smith
When someone is awarded a doctorate in groove-ology, it is customary to replace the academic cap with a
turban. OK, that doesn’t make any sense, but it comes as close as I can to
explaining soul-jazz virtuoso Dr. Lonnie Smith. After honing his skills with
George Benson in the mid-1960s, Smith went on to play with Lou Donaldson, Lee
Morgan, Dizzy Gillespie and others. At the RIJF the B3 master will be joined by
guitarist Mel Henderson and drummer Jared Schonig,
both known locally for their work in Paradigm Shift and other groups. (RN)
Hofmann & Sneider Duo
Guitarist Bob Sneider and pianist
Paul Hofmann have been pleasing local audiences for years with their ability to
play off each other in an ongoing creative dialogue. Last year’s release of Interconnection confirmed that the magic
could extend into the studio. The duo’s most recent release, Escapade, containing great new tunes by
both, is even better. Aside from originals, look for fresh interpretations of
standards and a great new tune that’s become a favorite in their repertoire, “Mañana Time,” a Calypso composition by their long-time
collaborator, the late bassist Bob Stata. (RN)
Italian Tenors featuring Frank Tiberi
and George Garzone
A versatile saxophonist, Frank Tiberi
was a member of the Benny Goodman Orchestra in the mid-’50s. He played with
Dizzy Gillespie and others before joining the Woody Herman Band in 1969. After
Herman’s death in 1987, Tiberi took over leadership
of the band. George Garzone is a powerful tenor
player who has built a reputation outside of the Boston area, where he is based. Put them
together and you are guaranteed to get more than the sum of the parts. (RN)
Jack Allen Big Band
Jack Allen has been blowing the trumpet for 72 of his 80
years. Inspired by the big band bigwigs of the day —- James, Goodman, Basie,
Ellington, Herman, etc. — Allen formed his own band while at FranklinHigh School. By 17 he was gigging in swingin’ joints around Rochester like The Swing Club, The Riviera
Club, The Bartlett Club, and The Chateau. In 1943 he toured nationally with The
Tommy Reynolds Big Band. Today the Jack Allen Big Band serenades in lush and
creamy sounds with Allen’s bright ‘n’ beautiful horn shining on top. It’s
romantic as hell. (FD)
Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey
A new kind of eclectic trio has emerged in the space where
jazz bands and jam bands collide. Medeski Martin
& Wood and Bad Plus may be the best known, but the Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey
is gaining ground. On their latest album, The
Sameness of Difference, they prove to be more different than same. It’s not
unusual for a jazz band to play tunes by Charles Mingus
and Dave Brubeck. But JFJO also covers songs by Bjork,
Brian Wilson, Jimi Hendrix and Neil Young. They do it
all with a spirit of adventure that audiences should find thoroughly engaging.
(RN)
James Brown
See feature.
Jane Bunnett & Spirits of Havana Quartet
To anyone ignorant of the strength and beauty of Cuban jazz
traditions, The Buena Vista Social Club was a wake-up call. But RyCooder
(who was featured in the film) was not the only musician making trips to the
island in an effort to revive its great heritage. Soprano saxophonist
extraordinaire Jane Bunnett began visiting Cuba in the
early 1980s. Since then she’s recorded 10 albums with Cuban musicians. The
latest, Radio Guantanamo, celebrates
the Changüí music of Guantanamo. If her last visit to the RIJF is
any indication, her quartet will be one of the festival’s hottest bands. (RN)
Jazz Epicure
Consisting of guitar, violin, and bass, Jazz Epicure digs in
deep to the “great American songbook,” as they say. What keeps this trio
separate from the same, ol’ same ol’
is its furious (dare I say it?) gypsy attack. Funny, the violinist’s name
happens to be Steaphane. Go figure. Go see ’em. (FD)
Jeff Campbell Trio
Eastman prof Jeff Campbell is a
jazz bassist who’s deeply rooted in the instrument. Fortunately, his
theoretical chops don’t outshine his playing, which, we assume, is something he
owes to a youth spent playing out in just about any context. His chemistry with
drummer John Hollenbeck (also a member of the notable Claudia Quintet) leads to
a sort of jazz pointillism, where the greatest attention is given to the
smallest notes. And still things manage to swing. (CO)
Jeremiah
Rochester’s
Jeremiah has a smooth, rare voice; one that skirts the upper registers gently
without relying heavily on falsetto or excessive volume. He gets up there —
don’t worry about that — with gospel passion and soulful urgency. He is both
authoritative and gentle. Jeremiah just released his debut, Folktales Of a Fat
Boy. Sensual tone and boyish good looks — the girls are gonna just lose it. (FD)
The Joe Locke/Geoffrey Keezer
Quartet
Joe Locke needs no introduction to Rochester audiences. He began his career in
area clubs before heading to New York
City in the early 1980s. Three decades later Locke is
one of the world’s top vibraphonists. On stage, he’s a whirlwind, attacking the
vibes like an athlete/dancer/punk rocker. At the RIJF he’s joined by pianist
Geoffrey Keezer. Good enough at 17 to be recruited by
Art Blakey for the Jazz Messengers, Keezer has since released a dozen albums as a leader and
enhanced the bands of many others. Rounding out the quartet are drummer Terreon Gully and bassist Reuben Rogers. (RN)
Joel Harrison
He recently pulled off a narcotic lullaby version of Johnny
Cash’s “I Walk The Line” with Nora Jones, so there’s no tellin’
what jazz guitarist Joel Harrison is gonna do to the
music of George Harrison. I mean, we all got a hint with his recent Harrison On
Harrison LP. However, it seems to me the man likes to explore and get out
there a bit. So these ex-Beatles nuggets are probably just merely suggestions
or templates or, better yet, a launch pad. Yeah, a launch pad.
(FD)
John Hollenbeck & Claudia Quintet
The Claudia Quintet may very well embody several aspects
that we look for in the festival all wrapped into one. By turns raucous,
sophisticated, fun, and abstract, the Quintet is also visibly shaped by
minimalism/new music, tinged with novelty, clearly intent on pushing jazz into
new realms, and anchored by bandleader John Hollenbeck’s driving yet
unobtrusive groove (a compliment in no way intended to sum up his attributes or
intentions as a musician). No matter what your listening background is, this
group’s unique voice shines through. (Hollenbeck also appears separately with
the Jeff Campbell Trio.) (SRK)
Jon Ballantyne Trio
Jon Ballantyne may not yet be a
star on the jazz circuit, but last time he was in Rochester, for the 2003 RIJF, he turned in
some of the most satisfying performances of the festival. This is hardly
surprising considering that he won the grand prize of the Festival
International de Jazz de Montreal
in 1986. Since then has played with the Woody Herman Big Band, the Mingus Big Band, Joe Henderson, Clark Terry and many
others. Ballantyne’s trio has performed extensively
in Europe and Asia. (RN)
JuanitoPascual
JuanitoPascual
possesses a masterful touch on the guitar, combining elements of flamenco and
classical styles with the ability to improvise like a jazz player. None of this
is surprising, considering he studied flamenco with some of the finest players
in Spain,
jazz guitar with Gene Bertoncini and classical with
Eliot Fisk. Pascual is making a name for himself in all three worlds and should provide one of the
virtuoso performances of the festival. (RN)
Karrin Allyson
Of the many jazz singers who have emerged in the last
decade, one of the most engaging is Karrin Allyson.
In the past she has covered standards, Brazilian classics and even pop tunes by
Joni Mitchell, Elton John, Carole King and Cat Stevens. On her latest album, Footprints, Allyson explores vocalese in new adaptations of classic jazz tunes. At her
RIJF performance, look for interpretations of “Con Alma,” “Lazy Bird,”
“Footprints,” and more. (RN)
Katrine Madsen
Katrine Madsen’s voice is simply
beautiful in an inviting yet completely unobtainable way — blondes this
pretty and talented wind up on the arms of movie stars. Hers is a warm alto
that, in its richness and tone, casually falls from her lips like a sustained,
melodic sigh. Picture a Scandinavian Julie London. She’ll give the goosebumps on your goosebumpsgoosebumps. Bring a date — especially if you wanna seal the deal. (FD)
Kelley Hunt
Singer/pianist Hunt has become a fixture on the blues
festival circuit in recent years, and she’s been broadcast on the airwaves of
NPR’s A Prairie Home Companion and
blues radio show Beale Street Caravan a total of 13 times. Not too shabby for an artist who got a record deal of her
own while trying to pitch Trisha Yearwood’s producer
some of her own songs for the future Mrs. Garth Brooks to sing. Hunt’s latest
album, New Shade of Blue, debuted at
No. 9 on Billboard’s blues chart last summer. (ER)
Little Feat
The jam band mainstays keeps enough Texas twang in the mix to keep it from
getting too patchouli. Expect lots of noodling and
lots of earthy, feel-good vibes, with a decided kick. The hippies’ll
dig it, but so will you. (FD)
Magnus Lindgren Quartet
On his latest album, The
Game, Magnus Lindgren plays tenor sax, flute, alto flute, bass flute and
bass clarinet. No matter what instrument this Swedish wonder chooses, what sets
him apart is his ability to create a different mood with every composition. No
small part of the atmospheric magic is due to the members of Lingren’s quartet: Mathias Algotsson,
piano; Fredrik Jonsson, bass; and Jonas Holgersson, drums. When this group tackles Ellington, or an
American standard, they put their own refreshing stamp on it. (RN)
Mahavishnu Project
It’s hard to imagine any local music fans being completely
unfamiliar with the Mahavishnu Project. The band
plays the area often enough, and its jazz fusion appears to have earned some
cachet in the hippie scene. Be warned: This is not the MahavishnuOrchestra, which was formed by
guitarist and electric Miles alum John McLaughlin back in the day. This is a
band that, essentially, covers Mahavishnu Orchestra
jams. Yeah, it sounds like a contradiction in terms. Thankfully, the MP is led
by drummer/composer Gregg Bendian, whose skills
behind the kit and love for comic book legend Jack Kirby are worth exploring.
(CO)
McCoy Tyner Trio
See feature.
Mike Kaupa Quartet
Mike Kaupa is a top local jazz
educator, but his trumpet playing has enlivened so many bands in Rochester that it’s about
time he stepped into the spotlight. From Vince Ercolamento’s
group to the Dave Rivello Ensemble, Kaupa’s trumpet solos have been a highlight of any
performance he participates in. On a national level he has played with Gary Bartz, Luciana Souza, Ray Charles and many others. His
recent release (with pianist Gordon Webster), This Is Spring, showcases his sensitivity and adventurous spirit as
a soloist. (RN)
NickiDenner’s
Latin Jazz Trio
NickiDenner’s
piano playing gets pretty goddamn caliente, whether she’s extrapolating a Latin standard or
taking listeners on jazzy jaunts into her lively originals. On the New York City scene since
2002, NickiDenner’s Latin
Jazz Trio just released their first album in May. (FD)
OsageCounty
A New York City session
drummer for the past quarter century, Scott Neumann comes to RIJF with his own
group, OsageCounty. This is groove-based jazz that
certainly won’t surprise folks who’ve heard Neumann perform with newgrass outfits like Jazz Mandolin Project and The Tony Trischka Band. If some of the oblique structure and sound
forms out there become overwhelming, we bet Neumann has your antidote. (CO)
Papa Grows Funk
In keeping with the 2006 line-up’s underlying Big Easy
theme, here comes New Orleans’
John “Papa” Gros and his organ-driven funk outfit
Papa Grows Funk. If anyone could ever cover the theme song to Carwash and give it even more soul, it’s
these cats. Plus, this’ll be something for the hippies and those of us who
can’t stand still. (FD)
Phil Woods
See feature.
Rachel Z
Pianist/vocalist Rachel Z emerged on the scene in Boston almost two decades
ago, headed for career steeped in jazz. There’s no doubt she’s got jazz chops,
having worked extensively with Wayne Shorter, George Garzone,
Larry Coryell and others. But she has never categorized or limited her musical
involvement; she also recorded and toured with pop avatar Peter Gabriel. On her
latest album, Grace, Z has added
singing to her keyboard talents. With a voice reminiscent of Kate Bush, and
nicely composed original tunes, she should be among the most engaging
performers at the RIJF. (RN)
Red Stick Ramblers
The Red Stick Ramblers got my immediate attention and
respect the minute I heard them bust out Tennessee Ernie Ford’s “16 Tons.” They
infused it with a little Cajun waltz and hazy vocals over a lonesome and rather
minor progression. ‘Twas noir, all
right. Hailing from Baton Rouge
(hence the name, for those of you who don’t parlezvous) the band is a romantic affair of
western swing, country boogie, funk (yeah, I said funk), and gypsy jazz. It’s
café music for the highly caffeinated. (FD)
Respect Sextet
Beloved locally, this group of Eastman
alums (now based in New York)
returns for what promises to be another edge-of-your-seat homecoming like the
one that nearly brought the Village Gate roof down last December.
Respect’s music soars, swoops, and glides like some large, prehistoric bird —
at once formidable and majestic, but with a decidedly playful edge. Eastern
European folk, toyish-sounding electronics,
and general eclecticism all get anchored by drummer Ted Poor’s enthralling,
simultaneous command of drive and flexibility. Respect makes a lively ball of
sound that sends color and good cheer exploding in all directions. (SRK)
RigmorGustafsson
Oh Rigmor, you cheeky devil. Jazz
singing in the aughts is no easy calling. The form
has been done so well by so many others years ago, and there’s just so much
cultural baggage that comes along with it. RigmorGustafsson hails from Sweden,
so we were eager to hear a take on the form divorced from New
York City and Paris.
Sadly, we’re still searching for even the slightest glimmer of identity in her
sound. (Something interesting is happening in the first 10 seconds of “I Will
Wait for You,” but it disappears so quickly.) All the rote gestures of the jazz
singer are here: breezy vocals, technical aptitude, longing lyrics… But is that
all she wrote? (CO)
Rob McConnell Trio
With all the trumpet and saxophone players crowding the
venues at the RIJF, it should be refreshing to hear a man who can coax a full
range of sounds out of a trombone. Rob McConnell is a trombonist/band leader
whose Boss Brass (ranging from 10 to 22 pieces) has won top awards in Canada and recorded for Concord Jazz in the United States.
In the trio setting McConnell’s trombone should come through loud and clear.
(RN)
Robert Gasper Trio
See feature.
Roberto Occhipinti Quartet
Bassist Occhipinti plays, writes,
and arranges with a cinematographer’s sense of composition and an editor’s
sense of motion. His music proceeds at a swift, dramatic pace that can almost
literally sweep you off your feet. It is also eminently, delightfully
listenable without suffering from one iota of over-sweetened polish. Heavy
doses of Latin swing and deliciously elegant strings don’t hurt. A veteran of
several prominent Canadian orchestras, Occhipinti
swings like there’s no tomorrow. (Hell, Gorillaz
must’ve seen something in him!) Mark this down as the one show you can bring
your Mom to without wanting to shoot yourself. (SRK)
Roomful of Blues
Rhode Island’s
originators of swingin’ sleazy, jumpin’
blues, Roomful Of Blues is “the hottest blues band
I’ve ever heard,” according to the late Count Basie. The band has put out
numerous, notable discs backing up American music legends like Big Joe Turner,
Earl King, Jimmy Witherspoon, Roy Brown, and others, in addition to its own
powerful platters. With more than 43 members in and out of its illustrious
ranks, this road-weary outfit now celebrates its 35th anniversary of gettin’ backfields in motion. Roomful creates a rockin’, brass filled atmosphere and the opportunity for
the most fun you can possibly have standing up. (FD)
ShiranthaBeddage
ShiranthaBeddage
may have been born and raised in North Bay, Ontario, but he has absorbed American jazz with the
enthusiasm and insight of a New
Orleans native. Currently a doctoral candidate at the
Eastman School of Music, he has received the school’s Raymond and Maxine Schirmer Award for achievements in jazz composition. Beddage, who also plays piano, has a huge sound on the
saxophone and should be one of the surprise hits of the festival. (RN)
Sliding Hammers
At the 2004 jazz festival everyone was talking about Sliding
Hammers. The two tall, beautiful, trombone-playing, blonde sisters from Sweden sounded
like they had some good gimmicks (all of the above), but could they play? Well,
not only could they play, they charmed crowds at each venue with their
improvisational skills and their wonderful personalities. As if their
instrumental talents were not enough, MimmiPetterssonHammar is also a
wonderful singer as exemplified by her treatment of “The Old Country” on their
album, Spin Around. (RN)
The SmugtownStompers
Rochester’s
own Big Easy raconteurs, The SmugtownStompers play beautiful Dixieland and ragtime culled from
dusty old 78s. The band opts for the less played, more obscure nuggets. The
saints may still come marching in, but it may be by way of a long lost B-side.
Walking between indoor shows and hearing The SmugtownStompers’ outdoors set on the Gibbs Street sidewalk was one of the
coolest things about last year’s fest. (FD)
SOMI
The daughter of a diplomat employed by the World Health
Organization, this enchanting vocalist proves that we must drop the term “world
music” once and for all and stop lumping African cultures and music together. (SOMI’s music is rooted in her ongoing discovery of her
Ugandan/Rwandese heritage.) Blessed with a sparkling, crystalline voice and the
restraint to let it sit within the music as one instrument among many, SOMI’s work is delicately threaded and flows by with
breezy, effortless grace. Jazzy chord structures change with the utmost
patience while SOMI evokes Sarah Vaughan and Ella Fitzgerald. Expect smoldering
intensity live. (SRK)
Sonya Kitchell
Sonya Kitchell’s youth, beauty,
and dusky voice already have the critical winds crying “Norah” — or the next
Norah, anyway. Despite the hype, Kitchell is a lot
more folky and a little less ethereal than Miss
Jones. Joni Mitchell comes to mind. Kitchell’s
background is in jazz singing, and when coupled with her more plaintive
singer/songwriter style, both genres get a nice kick in the pants. (FD)
Soulive
This trio attempts to combine classic soul, soul jazz, and
traditional guitar- and organ-driven small ensemble jazz. Expect to contend
with long lines and ticket shortages, as the young, open, and jazz-literate
contingent who embraced acts like MMW and John Scofield
via the jam band community will fill the seats to capacity. Bonus points to
anyone who remembers that two-thirds of Soulive are
alums of an early ’90s indie funk/jam band named Moon
Boot Lover, which used to play around here much to the delight of
THZ-enthralled UofR students. (This
writer “does not recall” inhaling.) The more things change… (SRK)
Steve Gauci Trio
How can we resist going out to see a man whose playing
has been described (by jazz aficionado Bruce Gallanter)
as “somewhere between Trane and Getz”? Is any additional enticement needed
besides just imagining what kind of equatorial paradise lies between those two
poles? Well, just in case: tenor saxophonist/flautist Gauci,
who has accompanied a long list of New York improv
luminaries including SabirMateen,
Daniel Carter, and Roy Campbell Jr., is also acclaimed not only for forging his
own voice but for the intuition, intelligence, integrity, and fire he brings to
doing so. (SRK)
Susan Tedeschi Band
Hope And Desire, Susan Tedeschi’s
fourth album was produced by Joe Henry. ‘Nuff said.
Henry has Tedeschi laying off the guitar a little and
really laying into her dusky vocals. And Texas
guitar monster Doyle Bramhall II has got her back
guitar-wise so she can really sing with the soulful authority her earlier work
hinted at. She’s kinda like Bonnie Raitt with a higher, less pop rating. And this isn’t just
another pretty face that can pick a little and sing the blues. Tedeschi is for reals and is only
gonna get better as time goes by. (FD)
Terell Stafford B3 Band
One of my favorite albums last year was Bobby Watson’s Horizon Reassembled. Aside from Watson’s
wonderful saxophone playing, the album showcased the fine young trumpeter Terell Stafford. McCoy Tyner has called Stafford
“one of the great players of our time.” Tyner should know, having hired Stafford to play in his Latin All-Star Band and his
sextet. At the RIJF Stafford will be in a classic setting, accompanied by a
soulful Hammond B3 organ. (RN)
Tim PosgateHornband
featuring Howard Johnson
Tim Posgate is an innovative
guitarist who alternates between Mingus-like melodies
and Jimi Hendrix-style runs. The fact that his band
features three horns, no bass, and no drums adds to its textural uniqueness.
Both LinaAllemano
(trumpet) and QuinsinNachoff
(sax, clarinet, flute) make important contributions to
the mix, but the real difference here is the presence of legendary tuba player
Howard Johnson. Johnson has played on hundreds of albums, including those by
Miles Davis and Charles Mingus in the jazz camp and
John Lennon and The Band in the pop world. He should make this concert a blast.
(RN)
Toots Thielemans
See feature.
The York
Quartet
Bassist Jennifer York is a popular “Skycam
diva” for KTLA in Los Angeles.
It’s a fitting profession, since her quartet’s music sounds so much like those
light and bouncy instrumental interludes you might hear in a morning broadcast.
Perhaps it’s just Carol Chaikin’s jazz flute and
bassoon weirding us out. But we’re having visions of Anchorman that are not altogether
pleasing. Still, we’re certain there’ll be a happy audience for this lite jazz. We just don’t swing that way. (CO)
This article appears in May 31 – Jun 6, 2006.
