Music Blog
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
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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
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
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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
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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,
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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.
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Every year at the end of the Rochester International Jazz Festival, as the final shows let out and the crowds disperse for the last time, clean-up crews spring to action and a sad feeling descends over Gibbs Street. After nine days straight, it's hard to accept that it'll be a
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It's fitting that Cleveland-area singer/songwriter Tom Evanchuck began his set last Friday night at the Mez with a song about a train station. The Mez's gorgeous architecture, with its brick archways and vaguely antiquated ambiance, made the perfect setting for Evanchuck's evocations of the past. Not only that, but with
Music Blog
Remember going to concerts as a teenager? Even if the sound was terrible, there was something in the muddy, bass-heavy thrum of an overworked PA system that really moved you. Similarly, when Welsh quintet People In Planes played the Club at Water Street last Thursday night, the thick boom was
Music Blog
While the murmur of chatter and clinking silverware can often be intrusive when you're trying to appreciate a musical performance, local acoustic guitarist Kinloch Nelson's appearance at Bodhi's Cafe Saturday night proved that technical skill, subtlety, and dinner ambience can work together exceptionally well. Of course, with restaurant gigs, the
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So how do you make music -- and pop music, no less -- without using notes? As absurd, impossible, pointless, or even distasteful as that idea might sound, local musician Ian Downey is making a serious attempt at finding out, and asking other musicians to join him. This past October, Downey
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When the now-legendary Archers Of Loaf appeared at the Bug Jar in 1996, in attendance that night was none other than Darren DeWispelaere, leader of the local indie rock quartet Veluxe. "They're still one of my favorite bands," DeWispelaere said shortly before hitting the Bug Jar stage to perform a
