On the electro-pop album “A Portal Inside,” Agaaze moves beyond his beginnings as a classical and jazz guitarist and gives EDM a chill pill.
Music Review
Classical review: Seong-Jin Cho
In a sold-out concert on Friday night, the acclaimed piano phenom Seong-Jin Cho treated the Kilbourn Hall audience to an imperfect program that nonetheless lived up to the hype.
Album review: ‘None of the Above’
Sharon Coates ‘None of the Above’ Self-released sharoncoatesmusic.com There’s a bit of a dichotomy going on with Sharon Coates’ new and third CD. To reference Monk, it’s full of ugly beauty. Coates has a beautiful, almost sorrowful voice, which when paired with her backing band’s rugged support, is evenmore soft and lonely. This is especially […]
Classical review: Leila Josefowicz and John Novaeck
The Kilbourn Concert Series at Eastman School of Music took a decidedly raw turn on Tuesday, when violinist Leila Josefowicz and pianist John Novaeck took the
stage. Josefowicz’s performance, full of mercurial rage, was nothing short of iconoclastic.
Fresh Cut: ‘Pedaling’ by The Able Bodies
The new video from The Able Bodies’ โPedalingโ casts the synth-pop duo as fitness enthusiasts, and the track spins toward pure bliss.
Concert Review: Dale Watson, Selwyn Birchwood, Rosie Flores, and The Reverend Horton Heat
I’m convinced Austin, Texas’ undisputed king of honky-tonk, Dale Watson had some of the diesel fumes from his tour bus siphoned into Abilene, Monday night. He wanted that packed little honky-tonk — in its own right — to have that authentic truck stop feel. Between sips of Lone Star — “The only beer Jesus drinks,” […]
Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra
Based on most local media coverage of Ward Stare, the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra’s new music director, you would know that he’s young, he’s handsome, and he looks good in a tuxedo — all excellent attributes in a conductor, of course, but … The media have approached Stare’s musical credentials more gingerly; nonetheless they are definitely […]
Concert Review: RPO’s season opener
Based on most local media coverage of Ward Stare, the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra’s new music director, you would know that he’s young, he’s handsome, and he looks good in a tuxedo — all excellent attributes in a conductor, of course, but … The media have approached Stare’s musical credentials more gingerly; nonetheless they are definitely […]
On your imaginary forces work
In its opening speech, the Chorus in Shakespeare’s “Henry V” exhorts the audience to use its imagination to recreate the numerous English and French settings of the play — hence the quote that gives this review its title. For its concluding concert of the 2013-14 season, performed Thursday, May 29, and Saturday, May 31, the […]
Concert Review: RPO presents Holst’s “The Planets”
In its opening speech, the Chorus in Shakespeare’s “Henry V” exhorts the audience to use its imagination to recreate the numerous English and French settings of the play — hence the quote that gives this review its title. For its concluding concert of the 2013-14 season, the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra highlights imaginative musical canvases by […]
ALBUM REVIEW: “Outlier”
Mrs. Skannotto “Outlier” Self-release Mrsska.com Rochester skanksters Mrs. Skannotto will keep you guessing with its new offering, “Outlier.” This band has always been much more than ska — what with its sinister punk energy, slick speed, and clever progressions. When the band does cop to a more ska-centric sound the entire band is painstakingly precise […]
CD REVIEW:Grant Geissman โBop! Bang! Boom!โ
Grant Geissman is having a great time making music and one listen to his new album, “Bop! Bang! Boom!,” is enough to prove that the fun is infectious. Actually, it starts even before you listen. All of the album’s artwork is by the great illustrator Miles Thompson who has perfected (or maybe invented) the “cool, […]






