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 […]
Concert Review
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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Jazz Fest 2014, Day 3: Ron reviews Cรฉcile McLorin Salvant, Gerald Clayton, and Euan Burton
To say Cรฉcile 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, […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
