Cecile McLorin Salvant had been singing the songs of the early 20th century for her entire set at Kilbourn Hall Friday night. But for her final tune, she decided to step right back into that era. With all the microphones turned off, she launched into a totally acoustic rendition of Bessie Smith’s “Blue Spirit Blues.” […]
XRIJF 2015
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Jazz Fest 2015, Day 1: Frank reviews Diana Krall, David Gibson’s “Boom,” and Mavericks
I’ve debated for years whether Diana Krall’s poker face was out of boredom or the fact the chick is pretty damn cool. Krall’s 4 p.m. matinee at Kodak Hall? Boredom. She was rather unfocused and bored. Now in her defense, the sold-out crowd was a cadaver convention and it’s hard to vibe off a bunch […]
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Jazz Fest 2015, Day 2: Frank reviews Grace Kelly, Chet Catallo, and Herb Alpert
Before we kick off into this evening’s festivities I forgot to tell you about the Sauce Boss and his set last night on the Jazz Street stage. Well, he was on fire and I’m not just talking about his kitchen shtick where he’s rockin’ while a big pot of gumbo is cookin’ which he serves […]
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Jazz Fest 2015, Day 1: Daniel reviews goodbyemotel and The Hillbenders
Paradoxically, my first night at the 2015 Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival was about anything other than jazz. From anthemic alternative rock to dance-inducing bluegrass, Friday was a prime example of Producer and Artistic Director John Nugent’s willingness to program music belonging to any genre, so long as it’s engaging. And though, goodbyemotel — a […]
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Jazz Fest 2015: Meet City’s jazz bloggers
Ron Netsky This year’s Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival opens with one of my favorite artists from last year’s XRIJF, Cecile McLorinSalvant. If you haven’t heard this wonderfully expressive singer, come to Kilbourn Hall and you’ll understand why she won DownBeat Magazine’s Critics Poll as Jazz Artist of the Year in 2014. I’m also looking […]
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Jazz Fest 2015: What’s FREE at the fest
There’s no shortage of free options for the frugal jazz lover at the 2015 Rochester International Jazz Festival. In fact, this year’s festival boasts a total of 93 free shows across 6 venues in its nine-day run. These venues, of course, can become a bit cramped, so be sure to claim your spot early in […]
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Sharon Jones
Sharon Jones was scheduled to sing at the 2013 Rochester International Jazz Festival when her career was abruptly put on hold due to a bout with cancer. Consequently, the following feature article was also put on hold. After treatment, Jones is back fronting the Dap Kings and is now scheduled to play at this year’s festival, so we wanted […]
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Ingrid Jensen
If instruments have personalities, trumpet has to be the most audacious and in your face. Maybe that’s why not many budding female musicians are handed one. But that’s not the way it was in Ingrid Jensen’s family. Her mom played piano and loved traditional jazz, so growing up in the late-1970’s, Jensen was given a […]
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Raul Midon
When I reached Raul Midon by phone he had just returned from a tour of Europe. With a vocalist, lead guitarist, rhythm guitarist, bassist, percussionist, and trumpet player in tow, it could have been a complicated tour. Luckily, all of those musician are the one-man band that is Raul Midon. Midon plays bass, chords, and […]
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Herb Alpert
It’s 9 a.m., Pacific Time when Herb Alpert gave us a jingle-jangle a few weeks ago. He’d been up for hours recording “Whatever pops into my head,” the 80-year-old jazz and pop trumpeter says. “The night before, I woke up and I’m hearing ‘Blue Skies,’ the song Irving Berlin wrote, and all of a sudden […]
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Jane Bunnett
What is it about Afro-Cuban music that makes it the very embodiment of joy? Is it the dance of the exuberant polyrhythms as they weave in and out of one another? Is it the lilting melodies that remain non-perforated and unadulterated by the dominant beats? Just ask Canadian saxophonist and flautist Jane Bunnett, whose love-at-first-sight […]
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Fred Hersch
Growing up in Cincinnati, Fred Hersch noticed that there was a piano in his house, so, at the age of 4, he sat down and started to pick out tunes. That precocious beginning led Hersch to a career as a sideman with greats like Joe Henderson, Stan Getz, and Art Farmer; as a leader on […]
