Recent Articles
Choice Concerts
Saby Reyes-Kulkarni on October 13th, 2010
Aspiring guitar heroes may worship at the altar of flashy solos and chunky riffs, but all three of the bands on this bill place a premium on timbre. High On Fire, Torche, and Kylesa all play varying strains of heavy rock/metal, but they all overlap in how they shape the
Choice Concerts
Saby Reyes-Kulkarni on June 9th, 2010
With its close ties to bands like Pantera, Down, Crowbar, Soilent Green, etc, legendary New Orleans sludgecore outfit Eyehategod was largely responsible for putting its hometown on the metal map in the early '90s. At the time, the band's combination of Melvins-inspired sludge with doom metal, putrefied Sabbath riffs and
Choice Concerts
Saby Reyes-Kulkarni on June 2nd, 2010
With a recorded legacy that spans almost 90 albums, it's pretty safe to argue that Frank Zappa's body of work now counts as a genre unto itself. The late bandleader/composer had such a distinct style and demanded such a high degree of skill from his musicians that bands that exist
CD Reviews
Saby Reyes-Kulkarni on April 8th, 2010
Leave it to Gorillaz mastermind Damon Albarn to pair soul legend Bobby Womack with Mos Def on a track where both vocalists sound as out of place as the stranded plastic debris that inspired this album. Of course, out of place is precisely what Albarn aims for, with every sound
Choice Concerts
Saby Reyes-Kulkarni on February 10th, 2010
It's something of a cruel irony that the intensive level of study it takes to master the sitar is all but lost on Western ears, most of which are accustomed to the instrument as the gentle, ever-present background drone of the Indian restaurant experience. Not that anyone should be faulted
Choice Concerts
Saby Reyes-Kulkarni on January 6th, 2010
Centered around the creative partnership of singer/songwriter Brian Bauers and guitarist Jaime Sturm, the WMDs also feature drummer Paul Amorese, a Rochester expat better known as the co-founder of Bacci. In this context, Amorese, a highly proficient player with a naturally jazzy style, gets in touch with his rock side
Choice Concerts
Saby Reyes-Kulkarni on December 16th, 2009
For a band that's proven so adept at deep funk grooves, Filthy Funk refuses to take the easy way out on its new album, "Eklectric," which is officially released at this show. If you were expecting a predictable facsimile of Filthy Funk's dense, highly danceable live sound, you're in
Choice Concerts
Saby Reyes-Kulkarni on November 11th, 2009
Originally the drummer for the classic 70's R&B outfit L.T.D. until he was called up to sing lead, Jeffrey Osborne had already put his baritone signature on a string of hits by the time he went solo in the early 80's. Much like, say, Lionel Richie, Osborne successfully navigated R&B's
Choice Concerts
Saby Reyes-Kulkarni on November 4th, 2009
Though the cello has been making memorable appearances in rock music for decades, it's still widely regarded in rock circles as a "special guest" support instrument. Cellist Alison Chesley, who plays under the name Helen Money, shatters that notion with her edgy solo act. Working with an array of effects
Choice Concerts
Saby Reyes-Kulkarni on October 28th, 2009
Often maligned - both fairly and unfairly - for its ultra-geeky themes and musical excess, progressive rock now exerts a profound influence on today's heavy bands, especially in post-hardcore circles. Fortunately, that influence has resulted in an ever-widening variety of modern permutations, so that even listeners who don't have much
View All Articles
Recent Blog Posts
Music Blog
Saby Reyes-Kulkarni on June 22nd, 2009
The RIJF literally fills the void in my life left by the adulthood erosion of the Christmas holiday, but with two primary distinctions. For starters, Jazz Fest lasts NINE days instead of one, and it really is a case of more-is-more, where the excitement remains in the air for the
Music Blog
Saby Reyes-Kulkarni on June 21st, 2009
As it turns out, yesterday's rain contributed greatly to the atmosphere of what ended up being one my absolute favorite performances of the whole festival: John Boutte at the free stage at East Avenue and Chestnut. There must've been fewer than 50 people watching, and it was actually a good
Music Blog
Saby Reyes-Kulkarni on June 20th, 2009
Noise, dissonance, and lack of discernible rhythm aren't the only ways to challenge an audience. As Norwegian trumpet player Arve Henriksen proved last night during his first set at the Lutheran Church, music with a serene, meditative quality requires its own kind of patience. This, of course, isn't necessarily a
Music Blog
Saby Reyes-Kulkarni on June 19th, 2009
You know how cartoon characters get lifted off the ground by their noses and get physically carried away by the scent of something tasty nearby? That might as well have been how I reacted last night as I was about to get in line for Ryan Shaw's first show at
Music Blog
Saby Reyes-Kulkarni on June 18th, 2009
Well, we managed five days of picture-perfect weather before Mother Nature finally made her presence felt last night. And did she ever. Still, heavy rain didn't necessarily put a damper on the attendance at some of the indoor shows, which underscores the local appetite for jazz.
By now an RIJF staple,
Music Blog
Saby Reyes-Kulkarni on June 17th, 2009
In jazz, it's customary for band lineups to change frequently, if not constantly. On the plus side, that ensures spontaneity. On the downside, jazz as a rule rarely provides a platform for the same group of musicians to spend extended periods of time working together. The whole notion of group
Music Blog
Saby Reyes-Kulkarni on June 16th, 2009
In some ways the focal point of the Jazz Festival, Gibbs Street is the main artery for pedestrian traffic throughout the nine days as concertgoers shuttle back and forth between the various venues. The free stage at Gibbs and East also draws large crowds attracted by the prospect of taking
Music Blog
Saby Reyes-Kulkarni on June 15th, 2009
In addition to the usual overflow of live talent, yesterday brought a chance to watch two late jazz greats, piano master Bill Evans and trumpet icon Maynard Ferguson, perform in concerts videotaped here in Rochester during the 1970's, and screened yesterday afternoon by WXXI at the Eastman Theatre. Despite murky sound in both
Music Blog
Saby Reyes-Kulkarni on June 14th, 2009
Jazz drummer, composer, and renowned Yes/King Crimson alum Bill Bruford (whose one-time reed man Tim Garland appears on the final night of this year's festival) recently described one of his pieces as having a "strong British flavor." What does that mean? Does British jazz somehow sound more, um, mannerly? Is
Music Blog
Saby Reyes-Kulkarni on June 13th, 2009
Some of my favorite Jazz Fest moments seem to come from acts I wasn't expecting to like, or even see in the first place. But this year definitely got off to an unexpected start for me because my favorite part of the first day had little to do with music.
View All Blog Posts
Recently Reviewed Movies
This author hasn't reviewed any movies.
Recently Reviewed Restaurants
This author hasn't reviewed any restaurants.
