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 […]
Rochester International Jazz Festival
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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 […]
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Jazz Fest 2014, Day 2: Frank reviews Diana Panton, Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers, and Woody Pines
I know it ain’t a race or a contest — in fact I hope we all win — but in comparing some artists, not all come out equal. Though Julie London remains one of my true loves (she was married to Jack Webb, by the way) Roberta Gambarini’s jaw-dropping performance at Kilbourn Hall on opening […]
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Jazz Fest 2014, Day 2: Nicole reviews Ryan Dilmore
Singer-songwriter Ryan Dilmore’s stripped-down performance at the Little Theatre was simple and lyrical. While Jazz Fest typically calls to mind images of funky bands playing on big outdoor stages, Dilmore’s music was a welcome reprieve from the fray. A Victor native, Dilmore said that the opportunity to perform at the festival was “honestly a dream […]
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Jazz Fest 2014, Day 1: Ron reviews Sun Trio, Partisans, and Holophonor
At the Lutheran Church Friday night, Finland’s Sun Trio seemed caught between the past and future of jazz. When trumpeter Jorma Kalevi Louhivuori played his instrument traditionally he had exceptional range, from melodic to abstract, and from gorgeous to guttural. Simply put, the man had incredible chops. But, about half the time, he insisted on […]
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Jazz Fest 2014, Day 1: Nicole reviews Lorraine Klaasen
From the moment Lorraine Klaasen opened her mouth, the singer brought vibrancy, in every sense of the word, to the otherwise bleak Xerox Auditorium space. Decked out in exciting colors and filling the stuffy hall with full-bodied gritty vocals, Klaasen was riffing and growling with each note. It was clear she was there to have […]
