If you visit the website of pianist-composer Vijay Iyer, you will be greeted with a blurred portrait of a man, vaguely recognizable as Iyer, dashing through an urban landscape. It’s a fitting visual metaphor for the frenetic musical journey Iyer has taken over the past two decades. “Transformation is the way of this music,” says […]
jazz
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Louis Hayes
Louis Hayes was just 19 and living on Detroit’s west side when his reputation caught up with him. Pianist Horace Silver, fresh out of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, had heard about the young drummer. Silver called up Hayes and asked him to move to New York and join his new band. Hayes packed his drums […]
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Diane Schuur
Through the snap, crackle, and pop of a long distance phone call, and suffering from jet lag, Diane Schuur’s voice is still absolutely beautiful. She has just returned from an engagement in Osaka, Japan. Before that, it was dates in Italy with the big band. Tomorrow, it’s off to engagements in North Carolina and Florida. […]
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Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
I called up Big Bad Voodoo Daddy’s trumpeter Glen “The Kid” Marhevka to discuss his band, its brand of swing, its longevity in the swing scene, its hepcat haberdashery, and its impact on swing. That’s right — swing, swing, and more swing. I was excited. I had my coffee and my questions ready. Then Marhevka […]
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Jason Marsalis
With pianist Ellis Marsalis and his famous sons, Wynton (trumpet), Branford (saxophone), Delfeayo (trombone), and Jason (drums/vibes), the Marsalis family of New Orleans can stake a claim as the first family of jazz. But if that conjures up images of a father and his sons jamming in the living room, well… that’s just not how […]
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Cécile McLorin Salvant
If you go to hear Cécile McLorin Salvant at Kilbourn Hall, you might find yourself squirming in your seat. McLorin Salvant has no qualms about singing songs like “You Bring Out The Savage In Me,” a tune few have dared to touch since Valaida Snow sang it in the 1930’s. “I’ve had time to delve […]
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Tyzik’s 20th Season Celebration
Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra POPS Friday, March 21 & Saturday, March 22 Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre, 60 Gibbs St. 8 p.m. | $18-$95 | 454-2100, RPO.org It would be easy to forget what a man is doing for his line of work when he’s commuting between Rochester, Detroit, Dallas, Seattle, Portland, Florida, and Vancouver, with […]
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Xerox Rochester International Jazz Fest unveils full 2014 line-up
The Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival today unveiled the full line-up for the 2014 edition of the event, which will run June 20-28 in Rochester’s East End. Among the 1200 artists who will be performing at the 13th annual fest (see press release below for the full line-up), blues legend Buddy Guy was announced as […]
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The Barry Altschul Trio
When Barry Altschul takes one of his epic drum solos, he concentrates with all his might on…nothing. “If you think,” says Altschul, “you’re late. You have to trust your musicality.” Altschul has trusted his musicality in collaborations with many of the greatest artists in jazz. He’ll bring his current trio to Lovin’ Cup Sunday. Altschul […]
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The Swooners
FANTASY: It was early one enchanted evening not too long ago, as I rolled the Caddy up to the razzle and dazzle of the supper club. I got out, straightened my tie, shot my cuffs, and tossed the keys to the valet. I ankled over to the door where music from the swingin’ band on […]
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Concert Review: The Djangoners at Little Theatre Cafe
The Little Theatre Café has always struck me as temporal twilight, a layover in a caffeinated limbo if you will, on your way to or from cinematic bliss. While in this holding pattern and holding a cup of hot joe, you can dig any number of bands on the artistic fringe as they punch out […]
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10³²K
There’s no mistaking it when Ku-umba Frank Lacy really gets going. He lifts his trombone to the sky and then plunges it back to the ground in a split second. Up and down the long horn goes while the note he’s suspending spreads far and wide. “I’m into a sort of rarefraction of the sound,” […]
