Jazz@Rochester

Song of My Heart . . . I know there's someone watching over me

Yvonne has tagged me again with a meme about the songs that make your heart sing (actually, she tagged me back on June 19th, but somehow it passed by me that I'd been touched; not following the old traffic as closely in the past week).  As you might expect, my choice is something in the jazz vein, although there are quite a few songs in other genres that pull at the ole heart strings.

You can never go wrong with Ella Fitzgerald when looking for music to warm your heart and soul, so my choice (as there must be a choice made) is "Someone to Watch Over Me" from the album Ella Sings Gershwin. The lyrics are simple and touching:

There’s a saying old, says that love is blind

Still we’re often told, "seek and ye shall find"
So I’m going to seek a certain lad I’ve had in mind

Looking everywhere, haven’t found him yet
He’s the big affair I cannot forget
Only man I ever think of with regret

I’d like to add his initial to my monogram
Tell me, where is the shepherd for this lost lamb?

There’s a somebody I’m longin’ to see
I hope that he, turns out to be
Someone who’ll watch over me

I’m a little lamb who’s lost in the wood
I know I could, always be good
To one who’ll watch over me

Although he may not be the man some
Girls think of as handsome
To my heart he carries the key

Won’t you tell him please to put on some speed
Follow my lead, oh, how I need
Someone to watch over me

(bridge)

Won’t you tell him please to put on some speed
Follow my lead, oh, how I need
Someone to watch over me

Someone to watch over me

Music and Lyrics by George and Ira Gershwin. © 1926 WB Music Corp. (renewed).

While the gender's wrong in application, the sentiment is there.  I know I have someone to watch over me (love you, Dianna). My only complaint is that I have this on vinyl and my turntable is out (iTunes, here I come...). And now it's my turn. Tag, you're it Ken, Seth, and Annie.  If you wish to continue this meme, tag three of your friends and ask them to trackback to your post and to this post when they in turn continue it (oh. . . I'm asking that now)

Go Out and Hear Some Jazz Over the Coming Week!

In addition to the Syracuse Jazz Festival a stretch down the road, there's some jazz over the next seven days in and around Rochester. Artists and groups, please feel free to let me know if one of your gigs isn’t on here and I’ll try to add it to the post before the gig happens. Email subscribers should check back here to see if there has been an update or revision before you make decisions on jazz to see (subscribers won't get an update email or posting).

Thursday, June 28th

• Matt Valerio,The Grill at Strathallan,6:00 pm
• Fairport Gazebo Concert Series: New Horizons @ Vincent G. Kennelley Park, Fairport, 7:00 pm
• Don Menza / Bob Sneider Quintet @ Kilbourn Hall, Eastman School of Music, 7:30 pm
• Lumiere @ Little Theatre Cafe, 7:30 pm
• Deborah Branch @ Flat Iron Cafe, 8:00 pm
• The Skunk Punks @ Johnny's Irish Pub, 8:30 pm
• Dave Rivello Ensemble @ Village Rock Cafe, 9:30 pm

Friday, June 29th

• Gene Bertoncini & Bob Sneider @ The Grill at Strathallan, 5:00 pm
• Mike Fyler & the Macro Meltdown @ Bodhi's Café & Lounge, 6:00 pm
• Gap Mangione New Blues Band @ Horizons at The Lodge at Woodcliff, 7:30 pm
• Dan Puccio Quartet @ Starry Nites Cafe, 8:00 pm
• Blood and Bone Orchestra @ Daily Perks Coffee House, 8:00 pm
• Don Menza w/ Bob Sneider Quintet @ The Grill at Strathallan, 8:30 pm
• Connie Malone @ Taste of NY (New York Wine & Culinary Center, Canandaigua) (no time listed)

Saturday, June 30th

• Jimmie Highsmith Jr. @ Record Archive (East Ave.), 3:00 pm
• Chris Ziemba @ The Grill at Strathallan, 5:00 pm
• Shared Genes @ Brio Mediterranean Bistro, 3400 Monroe Ave, Pittsford, 5:30 pm
• Fred Costello @ Brook House Restaurant, 6:00 pm
• Rod Blumenau Quartet @ Horizons at The Lodge at Woodcliff, 7:30
• Steve Greene Trio @ Little Theatre Cafe, 8:00 pm
• Shared Genes @ Mona Lisa Cafe, 8:00 pm
• Devon Trumell Group @ Starry Nites Cafe, 8:00 pm
• Jimmie Highsmith Jr. @ The Armory, 8:00 pm (he'll be playing in the play "Keep Your Head Up" directed by Jerry Capers)
• Don Menza w/ Bob Sneider Quintet @ The Grill at Strathallan, 8:30 pm
• Darryl Parker Quartet @ Cafe Underground Railroad, 9:00 pm
• [Added 6/30] Peter Patall @ Joe's Mendon House

Sunday, July 1st

• Bill Slater, solo piano @ Horizons at the Lodge at Woodcliff, 11:30 am

Monday, July 2nd

• Paul Hoffman @ Kilbourn Hall, Eastman School of Music, 7:30 pm
• Steve Greene & The White Hots @ Little Theatre Cafe, 7:30 pm

Tuesday, July 3rd

• Tony Giannavola @ Beale Street (Webster), 6:00 pm

Wednesday, July 4th

• Go see some fireworks . . . no jazz here!

You Never Stop Learning . . . RIJF 2007 Provides Some Lessons

Now that I'm done casting my "greater blogger than thou" stones, I think it is only fair to look back with a critical eye on Jazz@Rochester during the 2007 Rochester International Jazz Festival. While this year was a year where a bunch of new doors opened and this blog had unprecedented traffic and impact on festival-goers, I couldn't help but feel that I hadn't really fully realized the opportunities that were presented.  This post is just a mea culpa of sorts, to show that I'm not oblivious to my many shortcomings (I am oblivious to many things . . . just ask my wife), and a sort of blueprint for next year.  I'll just list a few bullet points:

• While I had a media access pass (as well as the Club Pass that I bought LONG before receiving the media access), I asked for it much too late and with my other responsibilities to work and our business didn't have enough time to do the leg work to set up the interviews even for the artists for whom I requested contact information and be ready to conduct an interview that wouldn't be a waste of their time.
• I did an interview with pianist Geri Allen on the first night of the festival. It was a wonderful experience. I think that despite my less than stellar interview skills, Ms. Allen provided me some real gems about her and her music (and I hope to be publishing the results soon in these pages). However, the experience also gave me an appreciation for what goes into doing them well and I dropped further efforts.  There were others doing interviews of the artists SO much better (I've been listening to the whole lot of them since, Jason, and you're a pro!). Although I want to try the interview thing some more, I need to find a niche.
• I admit it . . . my moblogging from the festival became old pretty fast.  I want to think about how I use it in the future as I think it is a great tool (as do Jason and Seth) that has potential for adding a great immediacy to coverage. I'm thinking of doing more "man in the street" (or more "person in line") interviews and "on the spot" reports. What would you like to know?
• I was unable to really provide images in posts (although, again, so many people were doing a really good job of that), which I love to include when possible.  With the media access pass, I was more restricted than if I'd just been there as a "civilian".  I didn't have the additional photography credential necessary (or perhaps I misunderstood?). My camera really wasn't up to the task, anyway.
• I didn't write enough.  I didn't have my laptop with me at the festival and at the pace I was hitting shows wouldn't have had much time to do any real writing if I had.  That left me the option of writing when I came home at 1-2 am most nights of the festival (with a few extending beyond 3 am), and then going into work (at which I sit at a computer and write).  This 46 year old body can only take so much.  I had so much to say, but I knew that something had to give.  That's why I'm still writing about the RIJF almost two weeks later.

OK, enough with the hair shirt. This blog and what it has become over the past years I've been writing it, who it has introduced me to in the Rochester jazz and blogging community, and the opportunities it has created made this year's RIJF a watershed for me.  Also, it was a lot of damn fun!

OK, one more to go . . . wherein I'll join Seth in putting some things out there for next year's Rochester International Jazz Festival.

Mosey on Down the Road . . . It's Jazz Fest Time in Syracuse!

The M&T Syracuse Jazz Fest will feature three major headline acts at its Silver Anniversary edition held at Onondaga Community College, June 29 through July 1: The legendary “Queen of Soul” Aretha Franklin, living jazz legend Dave Brubeck (repeat performance from his appearance at the RIJF), and jazz banjo great and jam band superstars, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones. But there is so much more:

• "Toots" Thielemans Trio featuring Kenny Werner and Oscar Castro-Neves
• Mose Allison
• David 'Fathead' Newman
• Chico Hamilton
• Jaco Pastorius Big Band w/ Special Guest Will Lee
• Beatlejazz
• Nancy Kelly Quartet
• Hiram Bullock
• Ed Palermo's Big Band tribute To Frank Zappa with Special Guest Napoleon Murphy Brock
• Howard Johnson & Gravity
• Harri Stojka A Tribute to Gypsy Swing
• The Steelheads

While there is no comparison in the number and variety of artists you can catch, there is one very important difference between the Syracuse and Rochester jazz festivals—the Syracuse festival is free. Here is the schedule. Check out the "Dos & Don'ts" about attending this year's festival (some new measures have been put in place due to this year's Virginia Tech tragedy).  You can even go and stay on the OCC campus (I believe it is in on campus housing) for $60 a night, sleeping up to 5. 

Traditional Media Try Their Hands at the New Media Thang . . . Keep Trying!

During the 2007 Rochester International Jazz Festival, the traditional media in Rochester continued their flirtation in using social media tools to reach additional readers. The "alternative" newspaper City Newspaper incorporated the RIJF into the music "blog" they started last year. The daily Democrat & Chronicle also had a "blog" (although the critic's podcast that they ventured last year did not return).

I use the term "blog" here loosely.  Both are called "blogs" and bear a resemblance to a blog in that they have posts in reverse chronological order, written in a less formal and "personal" style, and monthly archives. However, that is where the resemblance ends. The problem is that there is no "social" in their "social media." They never really joined the conversation and community that was forming around this year's RIJF, content to just continue to write articles that could have just as well been published in print.

Our merry little band of bloggers and podcasters (Seth, Ken, Jason, Tracey, Jane and others) wrote about the 2007 RIJF, published photos, linked to and commented in each others blogs. That's how we originally found each other (Ken and Seth have been blogging the RIJF for much longer than I have). This year we really started to form a community online.  We also linked to and sent trackbacks to both the D&C and City Newspaper blogs, in part as an attempt to draw them into the community, but mostly because they were providing different perspectives on the artists we were hearing (and hearing artists we weren't) and we wanted our readers to be exposed to yet other sources for information about the RIJF.  I can't speak for the other, but I held back an impulse to not link to the D&C and City Newspaper blogs.  It seemed to me that they were either not interested or couldn't be bothered with joining our conversation or leading their readers to the many other voices covering the RIJF. The fact is that the writers in the D&C and City Newspaper blogs were using their credentials to gain access to artists that I didn't have (to be fair, however, it is probably that I didn't take advantage of the access I had). Although I had a media pass, I never really felt in the club and often felt like I didn't know the secret handshake. Oh, and then there's that pesky day job in legal publishing, the 20+ years of age, and a body that really shouldn't be staying out until after 1 or 2 am for 9 days straight.  The access (and stamina) of the young D&C "bloggers" Anna Reguero and Jann Nyffeler (except for one post by the more veteran reporter Jack Garner) resulted in some interesting and, at times, compelling, writing about the artists and their experiences of the RIJF that I wanted to share with my readers. That's one reason I blog—to aggregate the sources of information that are available about the subject I'm passionate about, i.e., live jazz music here in Rochester. However, if you look at the D&C or the City Newspaper "blogs" the only links you'll find in the D&C blog are those in the few comments or trackbacks that I (and perhaps one other) left on them (City has some more comments, but is also linkless). Why is that? 

While it may just be inattention, I think it is more about not really "getting" it.  By not joining the conversation and community that is developing, the D&C and City Newspaper are squandering one of the best tools for being "found" and read on the Internet—the blog. The choice may have been conscious or not and may partly be a result of the fear that traditional media have of the inroads being made by us in the blogosphere into what was once their sole province.  As we tell blogging clients, the conversation will be going on with or without you.  It would be so much more interesting for all of our readers if it's the former rather than the latter.

Wynton Talks About Congo Square on Tavis Smiley

PBS talk show host Tavis Smiley's online publicist has dropped me a line that Smiley recorded an interview with the Wynton Marsalis, who is promoting the CD for Congo Square, which we heard during the Rochester International Jazz Festival. In addition to talking about Congo Square, Marsalis talks about his teaching in the Jazz at Lincoln Center program. went further and talked about the influence he has on kids that he teaches and what he is trying to accomplish through the Jazz at Lincoln Center Program. You can see the full interview and what Wynton Marsalis had to say on the ‘Tavis Smiley’ tonight, which airs in Rochester on WXXI at 12:30 am. If you can’t watch tonight it audio will be available at Tavis Smiley's site on KCET in Los Angeles.

There is Jazz in Rochester after the RIJF . . . The Next Seven Days

So there is jazz life in Rochester after the Rochester International Jazz Festival. In fact many if not most of the performers that will be playing for us over the next 7 days below were doing their thing throughout the festival if not at the RIJF itself. Artists and groups, please feel free to let me know if one of your gigs isn’t on here and I’ll try to add it to the post before the gig happens. Email subscribers should check back here to see if there has been an update or revision before you make decisions on jazz to see (subscribers won't get an update email or posting).

Thursday, June 21

• Jazznik @ corner of Park Ave. and Berkeley, 5:30 pm
• Paul Hofmann @ The Grill at Strathallan, 6:00 pm
• Gordon Munding @ Beale Street Cafe (South Ave.), 7:00 pm
• Lumière @ Little Theatre Cafe, 8:00 pm

Friday, June 22

• Ann Mitchell Jazz @ @ Rochester Ontario Beach Park Harborfest (Festival Tent), 1-3: pm [added 6/21]
• Footnote @ Rochester Ontario Beach Park Harborfest (Gazebo), 2-3:30 pm [added 6/21]
• Squeaky Chair Jazz Trio  @ Bohdi's Cafe at Village Gate (courtyard), 6:00 pm
• Squeaky Chair Jazz Trio @ Starry Nites Cafe, 8:00 pm (actually the two listings overlap)
• Saborajazz @ Little Theatre (see yesterday's post), 5:00 pm
• Paul Hofmann Duo @ The Grill at Strathallan, 5:00 pm
• Maggie Mullen Trio @ Comix Cafe, 6:00 pm
• Gap Mangione New Blues Band @ The Lodge at Woodcliff, 7:30 pm
• Gene Bertoncini@ The Grill at Strathallan, 8:30 pm

Saturday, June 23

• Ann Mitchell Jazz @ Rochester Ontario Beach Park Harborfest (Festival Tent), 4-6: pm [added 6/21]
• Paul Hofmann @ The Grill at Strathallan, 5:00 pm
• Fred Costello @ Brook House Restaurant, 6:00 pm
• Dean Martin Variety Show @ Golden Ponds Restaurant & Party House, 7:00 pm
• Footnote @ High Fidelity, 7:00 pm
• Gap Mangione New Blues Band @ The Lodge at Woodcliff, 7:30 pm
• Steve Greene Trio @ Little Theatre Cafe, 8:00 pm
• Gene Bertoncini @ The Grill at Strathallan, 8:30 pm
• Shared Genes @ Mona Lisa Cafe (Webster), 8:00 pm
• Sonny Miles and Smiles @ Café Underground Railroad, 9:00 pm
• Sonic Duality Trio @ Flat Iron Cafe, 9:00 pm
• Brad Batz Group @ Pomodoro's (no time listed)
• Kerry Hoffman Trio @ Taste of New York Lounge, NY Wine & Culinary Center, Canandaigua

Sunday, June 24

• Bill Slater Jazz Brunch @ The Lodge at Woodcliff, 11:30 am
• Maria Gillard Band @ Little Theatre Cafe, 7:30 pm

Monday, June 25

• Tony Giannavola @ Beale Street Cafe (Webster), 6:00 pm

Tuesday, June 26

• Tony Giannavola @ Beale Street Cafe (Webster), 6:00 pm
•   Bending and Breaking @ Boulder Coffee Co., 8:00 pm

Wednesday, June 27

• The Margaret Explosion @ Little Theatre Cafe, 8:00 pm (this may be the last time you can catch them this summer)
• Doja @ Bug Jar, 9:00 pm

And Now For Something Completely Different . . . Jazz & Film Anyone?

Coming back down to the day-to-day jazz in Rochester, I just received an email from Tony Cruz of the group Saborajazz letting me know that his group will be helping the Little Theater kick off the Second Annual Foreign Film Festival on Friday, June 22nd at 5 p.m., with a festive dinner party in The Little Courtyard feature foods and flavors from around the world, and the live music from Saborajazz. Cost is $20.00. During the seven-day festival, audiences will have 18 opportunities to view 14 films from around the globe. 

What Just Happened Here? Some Thoughts On RIJF 2007

As I said in an earlier post, I have quite a lot to say following this year's Rochester International Jazz Festival, which was a watershed for me and for this blog. This will be one of several posts exploring my thoughts and feelings.

This year's RIJF was my introduction into being part of "media" and this blog's introduction to so many new readers (over 1200 unique visitor dropped in during the nine days of the festival). It was about hanging out with my friends and fellow new media folks Ken, Seth, Jane, and Jason.  It was about seeing my friends on Jazz Street and in the clubs, including those who I only really meet during the RIJF. It was about meeting new friends. It was about finding new sounds, dancing and clapping, and hearing world class musicians play compelling, innovative music. Mostly, this year's RIJF was a blast!

I haven't disclosed it before in the blog, but this year the publicity staff at RIJF (thanks, Jean!) gave Jazz@Rochester and I a media pass and contact information for a list of artists whom I hoped to interview. This access provided me the cred, I guess, to set up an interview with Geri Allen and get pretty far in sitting down with Fred Hersch, Trio Beyond, and others (by the way, the I hope to have the results of the interview with Ms. Allen up here soon as a podcast). It was a wonderful opportunity, but ultimately it was one that I used somewhat sparingly for a number of reasons. After I sat down with Ms. Allen (with my wife Dianna), I realized how much work it is to do interviews (and gained some respect for those who do it in a more professional capacity).  I didn't want to ask the usual questions, I wanted to get the artist to talk about their music in a new way (at least from what I was hearing) and found out in that first interview how much work it was to be prepared enough to find the way to that result.  In addition, there was a lot of legwork involved just in setting up the interviews.  I plan on doing more of it in the future, but decided this time not to waste the artists' time and keep others from getting the limited time with them. Before this year I had been only an observer, a fan. Now I was a participant. I wasn't entirely ready for that, especially given the need to continue to try to keep to my 9-to-5 job (OK, I was on Jazz Street at 4:30 most days).

That said, the media pass represented something else that I had felt was already happening before this year's RIJF--the arrival of Jazz@Rochester as something more than a hobby.  Although last year had seen some toes dipped in the water, this was also the year that a community of those who are using new media like blogs, moblogging and podcasts came together and formed a community focused on bringing the Rochester International Jazz Festival to Rochester and the world in new ways. I plan on exploring this some more later.

Nearly 1,200 people came to my site during the nine days of the festival and many of them found the RIJF site through Jazz@Rochester, which is a lot for a site like that focused on one narrow subject in a limited market. I'm sure Ken, Seth and Jason experienced a major uptick in their traffic as well. I received a number of emails and comments from people who had never been on the site before. In line at Kilbourn or elsewhere, when I told my line-mates about Jazz@Rochester I often heard "Oh . . . I've been on that site!" or "You're the one who does that...?" or "Oh . . . you're a blogger...." While I felt that I wasn't able to fully realize some of the promise these new technologies have to offer, my missteps and the things I was able to accomplish provided guidance for what worked and what didn't that I'll be using in next year.

Blogging really is about conversation.  Really.  In addition to a conversation between bloggers, this thing works best when there is a conversation between the person publishing a blog and those who read it. So, tell me what you think of what went on in these pages during for the 9 days of the RIJF. What worked for you?  What didn't?  What was helpful?  What was just plain old lame?  What would you like to see more of in the future?  Leave a comment by clicking on the comment link below and tell me what you think.

Looking back . . . Some missing highlights from the RIJF

My life during the Rochester International Jazz Festival was frenzied at best. Nine days of music from around 4:00 until the wee hours of the next morning.  I missed writing about several nights, including some that have left a lasting impression on me, so this post is to catch those "missing posts":

• Trio Beyond: I was looking forward to this concert as I had their most recent CD Saudades (AllAboutJazz.com review here) and had already begun wearing a groove in the it. With masters at the helm, including John Scofield on guitar, Jack DeJohnette on drums, and Larry Goldings on organ, Saudades is a two-CD record of a blistering live set in tribute to Tony Williams' jazz/fusion group Lifetime. I came into Eastman Theater and saw the double Leslie speakers of Larry Goldings' Hammond B3 and knew that all was right with the world (I have a thing for the B3). John Scofield twiddled with his guitar and brought out incredible sounds, DeJohnette showed us how it is done on the drums and Goldings made that B3 sing and laid down the bass.  It was unfortunate that so many of those who came for Jean Luc Ponty didn't stay to hear the whole set.  I realize they were very different sounds and some were wondering why they were programmed together (although I expect it was for the very reason of the juxtaposition of their very different approaches and hope that some of the crowd would stay and be exposed to some new sounds).
• Bonerama: I couldn't help thinking that these 6 guys playing trombones (four of them), sousaphone, guitar and drums from NOLA seemed to me to be a group of band nerds (weren't the nerdiest band nerds in your high school mostly trombone players) who found a way to be cool. Although, this night (I saw the 6pm show on Tuesday) I wouldn't say they were "cool", but rather a hot mess of sound. Think of the firepower of that kind of brass in the smallish confines of the Montage Grill (they were making the tent flaps move in the Big Tent the next day, for chrissakes!).  We were up on our feet stomping and clapping within minutes. An infectious groove and really masterful playing kept them there, although it took a while for our ears to quit ringing.
• Matt Wilson Arts & Crafts: Matt Wilson was one of my surprise finds of the RIJF. I'm very glad I gave it a chance and went to hear their 10pm set.  Wilson is a very inventive drummer, using all parts including flipping the drum over and getting a scratchin thing going like he was MC Matt. His band—Danny Gary Versace on piano, Dennis Erwin on bass, and Matthew Rodriguez on trumpet—were tight. Wilson's range and inventive choices were shown by his set, which began with a tune by Rashaan Roland Kirk and ended with  singalong of John Lennon's Give Peace a Chance with Wilson walking out of the house with a snare drum strapped to his neck. A highlight was the tune Free Range Chicken, which Wilson proclaimed was a "combination of jazz and good farming practices."
• Midaircondo: Another find I didn't expect.  While I was afraid at first no one would get a chance to hear them as they fiddled with their huge assortment of electronics in the heat of the Reformation Lutheran Church.  John Nugent was standing at the side and almost had that look of "when do I tell them that it ain't going to happen" when, miraculously, the sound came to life and the performance began.  The two women of Midaircondo (at least this night) are sound sculptresses, layering electronic and sample sounds with their voices and a bass flute and saxophone. The computer geek in me wanted to know more on how they were doing it, but the music was often beautiful and compelling.

I've left so many out of this, but I really felt compelled to get something in this blog about these acts, all of which were groups that I might have missed (OK, I was going to Trio Beyond regardless) and all of which I will now want to hear more from.  I'm adding Wilson's new CD Scenic Route and Midaircondo's Shopping for Images (when the Bop Shop gets an order in) to my list of must haves. I already have Saudades and Bonerama's Bringing It Home.

Now let the wrap up posts begin! I have a lot to say about the last nine days of jazz and will start to explore my thoughts on what this year's RIJF meant for me, for my fellow travelers, and perhaps make some suggestions for next year, and hopefully a podcast of my first interview with Geri Allen (there is some editing and vetting to do on that, but I think you'll love what she had to say).  Seth—a machine of jazz this past nine days taking in a whopping 36 different acts—has already begun to turn a reflective eye on the festival.

I Blinked and It Was Over . . . Day 9 of the RIJF

After reacquainting myself with my jazz widow Dianna and our cats, I am finally ready to sit down and write something. These last nine days of the 2007 Rochester International Jazz Festival have been a blur of wonderful music, street food, and having a great time seeing old friends and meeting new ones.  I intend to explore the festival and some of the music in more detail in later posts for the rest of the month, including a wrap up episode (for this year) of the "Da Jazz" podcast with Seth and Ken (we will be recording it at one of the venues showing live jazz). I have a whole list of posts I'd like to do, along with continuing my usual posting on the local jazz scene and jazz music in general. You should also check out some of the other blogging (and podcasting) on the last day of the 6th Annual Rochester International Jazz Festival, including: Ken, Seth, Jason, D&C bloggers Anna Reguero and Jann Nyffeler, the cold storage over at The Refrigerator, and City Newspaper's Ron Netsky. You should also to head over to the D&C's jazz coverage to check out Jeff Spevak and the last reviews by Jack Garner and Will Yurman's photo essays (there's a lot of material and I'm never sure about the staying power of D&C links, so I'm just directing you to the festival's special section on their website). But first, a few notes on last night . . . .

The final night of the 2007 RIJF was just right. While Ken spent some time with his family and some ice cream, Seth and I (with my wife Dianna) caught Bill Frisell Trio in Kilbourn Hall. The set was fantastic, with mixmaster Frisell at the controls creating intricate layers of sound with his guitar and the many effects boxes at his feet and hands, backed by two great musicians—Tony Scherr on bass and Kenny Wollesen on drums. I couldn't help but thinking that we has toying with the capacity crowd in the hall along with the knobs on his guitar as he and the band kept moving from one composition to another, giving the audience little time to react (or clap). Kept people on their toes, but in the end the long standing ovations allowed them to get it off their check. Like Don Byron, Frisell had a story about the Eastman School of Music, in which Kilbourn Hall is located.  He noted that while in high school he had applied to Eastman for clarinet.  While they accepted him, it was only into the music education program, not performance. Frisell said "f*ck that" and started playing guitar. So, if you're keeping score, that's two clarinetists, both rejected by Eastman, who both who went on to become world-class jazz musicians (one considered the foremost jazz clarinetist).  Go figure....

From Frisell, we all went over to the Reformation Lutheran Church to hear the Jens Winther European Quartet, which had a smorgasbord of European talent appearing with Dane Jens Winther on trumpet.  Although it was hotter than blazes in the sanctuary, Winther's group was hotter.

After some fine culinary repast on Jazz Street (ok, it was a cheeseburger), we headed over to Montage.  We almost blew it as the club was almost full by the time we arrived.  We found a place on the wall near the middle.  After MC Jason Crane whipped us into a lather, the Avishai Cohen Trio hit the stage. After a smokin opening number, Cohen announced that as he and his bandmates, Shai Maestro on piano and Mark Guiliana on drums, had been on a world tour and the RIJF date was the last gig on the tour.  The were "tired but happy" and he promised us a great show.  It was more than great. As Jason said as he exited the Montage—"holy crap." We had just experienced performance with so much energy,  musicianship, and sheer excitement that we just felt spent.  When we went in, we were discussing going over to catch the last after hours at the State Street Bar and Grill.  When we left we knew that anything we tried to do after that performance would seem lame in comparison. Our 2007 RIJF was over.  Tie a tag on that toe.

Ring, Ring . . . Moblogging from the RIJF

This is a live update from from the Rochester International Jazz Festival in Rochester, NY.  Click on the bar to find out . . . it may be an observation or interview on the street, suggestions for later shows, updates on crowds and lines, and other things to allow you to experience some of the RIJF even if you're not here.

Live Updates from RIJF

Ring, Ring . . . Moblogging from the RIJF

This is a live update from from the Rochester International Jazz Festival in Rochester, NY.  Click on the bar to find out . . . it may be an observation or interview on the street, suggestions for later shows, updates on crowds and lines, and other things to allow you to experience some of the RIJF even if you're not here.

Live Updates from RIJF

Ring, Ring . . . Moblogging from the RIJF

This is a live update from from the Rochester International Jazz Festival in Rochester, NY.  Click on the bar to find out . . . it may be an observation or interview on the street, suggestions for later shows, updates on crowds and lines, and other things to allow you to experience some of the RIJF even if you're not here.

Live Updates from RIJF

The Last Day Begins . . . RIJF 2007 Slides Into Home

Preparing to head out in a little while for the last day of the 6th Rochester International Jazz Festival.  Bill Frisell, Avishai Cohen and Jenns Winther Quintet are on the bill of fare.  I may catch the after hours with Ken and Seth as we close up with our last "Da Jazz" podcast (at least until next year). 

With weather that was almost supernaturally perfect for Rochester, it looks like this RIJF is going to be a record-breaker, easily topping the 80,000 in attendance from last year.  The Nordic Jazz Now series of concerts over at the great new venue in the sanctuary of the Reformation Lutheran Church have been a resounding success.  With few glitches and help from Ma Nature, John Nugent, Marc Iacona and Co. have pulled off another memorable RIJF (at least for me).

I'm writing this short post mostly to draw your comments.  Let us know how the RIJF has been for you.  Just click on the Comments link at the bottom of this post and fill in the form.

From Ivey Divey to Toots . . . Day 8 of "Da Jazz"

After the tragic loss of the magical 21+ minute opus we completed last night covering three whole days of the Rochester International Jazz Festival, Seth, Ken and I gathered at the after hours gig at the State Street Bar & Grill last night and taped another installment of "Da Jazz" for Day 8 of the RIJF.  Our thanks go out to Jason Crane at The Jazz Session for use of some recording equipment, which explains the vastly improved sound quality.

Ring, Ring . . . Moblogging from the RIJF

This is a live update from from the Rochester International Jazz Festival in Rochester, NY.  Click on the bar to find out . . . it may be an observation or interview on the street, suggestions for later shows, updates on crowds and lines, and other things to allow you to experience some of the RIJF even if you're not here.

Live Updates from RIJF

Ring, Ring . . . Moblogging from the RIJF

This is a live update from from the Rochester International Jazz Festival in Rochester, NY.  Click on the bar to find out . . . it may be an observation or interview on the street, suggestions for later shows, updates on crowds and lines, and other things to allow you to experience some of the RIJF even if you're not here.

Live Updates from RIJF

I'm Skipping Ahead . . . Day 7 of the RIJF

Although I've posted on a number of other voices and places for you to check out, I haven't written anything about what I've heard since Day 4.  I was hoping to rely on the marathon podcast that I made with Seth and Ken last night to cover that, but due to the technical difficulties set out in the prior post, my audio version is probably history.

I'm going to cut bait and go ahead and write a quick note about Day 7 of the Rochester International Jazz Festival.  I caught James Moody in Kilbourn to start out the day.  Like Benny Golson, it wasn't much of a musical highlight, although local "Friends" Bill Dobbins, Phil Flanigan and Mike Melito did a great job of backing him when he chose to play, he didn't choose to play much.  He told and sang some jokes and caught almost everyone in the crowd by announcing the former heavyweight champion Joe Frazier was in the audience and then, once everyone looked around toward where he was pointing, saying "sorry ma'am."  Like Benny Golson earlier this week, Moody's been doing this for a LONG time (he was playing with Dizzy and Monk 61 years ago, for chrissakes!).  Although I don't go in for worship, there's something about these "old heads" of jazz and listening to them talk or play provides some people with a connection to a bygone era of jazz music that they lament passing. 

While I was taking in Congo Square, Ken and Seth saved me a chair in the Jason Moran and the Bandwagon in Montage.  I caught most of the set and the encore and it was another unique voice in music that I'm going to want to hear more.  Moran is a fantastic pianist and played a smokin set with Tarus Mateen (playing yet another oddly shaped bass; I've seen quite a few this RIJF, although I suspect a number of the other chopped down versions are really TSA specials--means of getting through airport security easier) and the killer drumming of Nasheet Waits.

The highlight of the night and of the festival, I think, was the performance of the new epic jazz score Congo Square by Wynton Marsalis, leading the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra and Odadda! group of Yacub Addy. We were privileged to be the first audience on a tour featuring Congo Square, although it premiered in New Orleans (of course).  I think everyone there was floored by the piece and especially the performance with the interweaving of the African rhythms and big band swing, and the call and response, a tradition in African culture that has many echos African-American culture. Everyone knew they had seen and heard something wonderful (see Jason here and here; Netsky here' Reguero here; and it will be the subject of Jack Garner's last review before retirement, as he notes here).  Sitting near the stage, I didn't care if others had found it lacking.  I know how my wife, who is African-American, experienced the performance of Congo Square—deeply, spiritually, and with her entire being.  I was filled with joy seeing her with tears in her eyes as the emotions overtook her and she couldn't help herself from shouting out.  That is what great music is all about.  While I regret not joining in what I hear was a great night of after-hours sets involving Wynton and other members of the LCJO at State Street Bar & Grill, and elsewhere, Dianna's smile at the end of that experience was plenty consolation.

And Then There Was None . . . The Perils of Technology

After last night's last set by Jason Moran and the Bandwagon, I sat down with Seth and Ken to record a podcast about what we've been up to the past few days.  Our day jobs and lives had taken a toll, so we had three days of the Rochester International Jazz Festival to cover.  We recorded a 21+ minute epic podcast that I think would have been one of our best.  But we'll/you'll never know . . . .

When I tried to download it this morning from my iPod (we've been using an iPod Nano with a iTalk stereo microphone to record these podcasts), I found that somehow it was wiped clean (or at least its software thinks so).  Sh*t happens. . . . Unfortunately, I was relying on that podcast serving as my "record" of the last few days of the festival.  I'll try to write something up as I've had some terrific musical experiences over the past 3 days. 

Our new blogging, podcasting and moblogging friend at the RIJF, Jason Crane over at The Jazz Session has offered to loan us some of his extra equipment so we can wrap this baby up (Jason, I should have taken you up on your earlier offer . . . .).  Thanks, Jason.

Ring, Ring . . . Moblogging from the RIJF

This is a live update from from the Rochester International Jazz Festival in Rochester, NY.  Click on the bar to find out . . . it may be an observation or interview on the street, suggestions for later shows, updates on crowds and lines, and other things to allow you to experience some of the RIJF even if you're not here.

Live Updates from RIJF

I'm Sure You're All Waiting with Baited Breath . . . .

I've again run out of time to write before the time nears to head back down to Jazz Street at the Rochester International Jazz Festival, so I will not be able to post on my experiences hearing some of the acts over the past couple of days until, it seems now, after the end of the festival.  I have my notes and memories (supplemented my fellow bloggers and writers) so I'll try to write up some impressions on the past few days of the RIJF soon.  I wanted to get my "forward-looking" posts out there and have done that.  Enjoy! See you on Jazz Street and right here later.

One Great Push and Then It's Over . . . My Picks for the Rest of the Fest

Since I'm off today, I think I'll do one post to set out my initial picks for the rest of the Rochester International Jazz Festival. These are based on my personal choices in music, but I'll search out and find some additional information for you on them to help with your decision on whether or not you want to join me or go in search of something or someone else to hear.  On with the picks!

Friday, June 15th

Don Byron's Ivey Divey

Although this late in the RIJF I tend to let my whim and what I hear "on the street" guide me, I'm likely to take in the early set at Kilbourn by impossible to categorize clarinetist Don Byron, appearing (I think) with Jason Moran, who is playing tonight with his Bandwagon, and Jack DeJohnette, paying his respects to the a bass-less trio that Lester Young formed to record an album of the same name—Ivey Divey.  Check out a 2004 Village Voice review, an interview with NPR's Terry Gross, and Ron Netsky's Spotlight in City Newspaper. The RIJF writeup is here.

Madeleine Peyroux

If Madeleine Peyroux is opening for Dr. John (I was caught off guard by a perceived, if not actual, switch in the line up of Trio Beyond and John Luc Ponty), I plan on catching her set at the Eastman Theater and then moving on.  I have seen Dr. John numerous times and would rather catch other stuff out there after Ms. Peyroux sings.  If I'm wrong and Dr. John is opening, then I'm outta there for both.  Although there are always the comparisons to Billy Holiday (and her voicing does sound make her sound like Lady Day), Ms. Peyroux's singing and choices of song are uniquely her own.  For more information, check out her "official MySpace page," a fansite, a video of her singing "I'm Alright, a video of her performing "Careless Love" live in Spain, "and a video of her performing Bessie Smith's "Don't Cry" "Don't Wait Too Long" on Italian TV. Her RIJF page is here.

Outdoor Free Music: Toots & the Maytals and Maceo Parker (or something else)

OK, it's not jazz, but I have had been listening to the Toots & the Maytals album Funky Kingston since the early 1980s (see their MySpace page here. Check this video of one of their early hits and this one of the great hit "Pressure Drop"—this is what I remember. Twenty five years later, we'll see.  I may not feel like braving the expected crowds or may just shuttle back and forth across the Inner Loop to hear Toots and Maceo who will be at opposite ends.  On the other hand, I might just throw that all away as mere nostalgia for my heady youth and head over to see the Afro-Caribbean sounds of Omar Sosa, perhaps with a mojito from Max's. It's all up in the air and will depend a lot on the weather, how I feel, and how much I want to be jostled by the crowds.

Saturday, June 16th (the end . . . .)

Bill Frisell Trio

The last night of the RIJF will be back to the way I like it, with a Kilbourn show and a Montage show sandwiching something else to be decided. Guitarist Bill Frisell was one of the "keepers" I took away from a previous jazz festival, and I'll want to catch his trio perform.  In addition to the quite lengthy notes on his RIJF page, check out the video of Frisell on the Night Music TV program hosted by David Sanborn awhile back in the 1990s, and a 2004 fireside chat interview on AllAboutJazz.com

Avishai Cohen Trio

I've listened to a number of cuts off of bassist Avishai Cohen's last studio album Continuo and look forward to hearing him perform at Montage (which by the way has been a great venue this year).  For more information on him and his music, check out his MySpace page, an article on a 2003 interview with the artist in AllAboutJazz.com, a video of the Trio performing a cut off Continuo live, and his RIJF page.

What's Sandwiched Between?

Between the 6:00 and 10:00 sets and/or go back to church to catch another great Nordic Jazz Now set by the Jens Winther European Quintet and perhaps a bit of the NOLA sounds of Soul Rebels. I'd like to catch the hip-hop influenced jazz of Andy Milne's Dapp Theory, who on their site note that Phil Upchurch said that they are "The band Miles would have, were he alive today." (RIJF page here, and check out the video here), but it won't work unless I can't get into Frisell or Avishai.

The After After Hours Spot . . . the Flat Iron Cafe

This morning at 2:00 a.m., I left the following the end of the last set of the after hours gig at State Street Bar & Grill at the Crowne Plaza Hotel and headed over to Flatiron Cafe down the street to see what would transpire at the jam sessions that are starting up there each night at 2:00 a.m. Although I always enjoy hearing the after hours house band of Bob Sneider, Mike Melito and Phil Flanigan, there wasn't much happening last night other than some really talented students of Bob, plus two members of 5 Corners Quintet from Finland.  I wanted to say hello again to Tom, the owner at Flatiron and check out the scene so I headed on over (don't know where the energy came from, but Tom's large cup of coffee was a great help). Aaron Stabell's Bending and Breaking band was playing and I really enjoyed the set.  While some members of Christian Scott's band and sax player Timo Lassy of the 5 Corners Quintet were present, by the time I left only Scott's drummer had sat in and Lassy had left without playing. However, talking with the owner I found out the night to be there was the previous night when it all had come together beyond his wildest (well he has some even bigger ones for tonight's session) dreams.

In the early hours of Wednesday, those who were at the Flatiron Cafe were in for a real treat as Wycliffe Gordon, Robin Eubanks and Gray Mayfield, as well as members of Bonerama showed up and jammed with the musicians Quinn Lawrence put together for the event (how many trombones does that make?).  New blogger for the Democrat & Chronicle Anna Reguero was there and apparently it was an amazing night (as listening to Wycliffe blow often is...).  As Anna put it:

Big shots like these guys don’t come to jam sessions at 3 a.m. in small cities to show off. For example, Gordon plays in the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra — trust me, he doesn’t need to prove himself to anyone. They come because they love to play — anywhere and with anyone.

That is what makes these after-hours gigs special.  When they click, they REALLY click and leave you with a music experience that is indelibly inked into your memory.  The after after hours gig at the Flatiron will be going on until the end of the festival.  Who knows who will show up each night?   

It's a Moblogging Convoy . . . .

My buddy Seth over at Cup O' BooksJazz has hopped on the moblogging convoy.  Check him out here.

Another Traditional Media Outlet Jumps on the RIJF Blogging Bandwagon

I just discovered through pure happenstance that there is a "blog" over at the Democrat & Chronicle this year chronicling the Rochester International Jazz Festival.  Hell, I'm LOOKING for stuff about this year's festival and hadn't found them yet (although, to be fair, I haven't been looking much on the D&C festival site for the past few days as I've been too busy listening to jazz).  Written by a team including Anna Reguero and Jann Nyffeler (Jeff Spevak and Jack Garner, who are listed on the masthead have yet to make an appearance), it is blog-like in that it is written in the reverse chronological and, props to them, allows comments and trackbacks.  The writing is personal and contributes to the conversation out there about the RIJF. While I think they're still missing the "social" in the social media of blogs, I'm glad to have yet another voice out there promoting what we're all pulling for—luring people out of their cocoons to see live jazz and other music here in the Rochester area, both during the festival and, more importantly for Jazz@Rochester, throughout the year.  Keep at it!

Ring, Ring . . . Moblogging from the RIJF

This is a live update from from the Rochester International Jazz Festival in Rochester, NY.  Click on the bar to find out . . . it may be an observation or interview on the street, suggestions for later shows, updates on crowds and lines, and other things to allow you to experience some of the RIJF even if you're not here.

Live Updates from RIJF

Ring, Ring . . . Moblogging from the RIJF

This is a live update from from the Rochester International Jazz Festival in Rochester, NY.  Click on the bar to find out . . . it may be an observation or interview on the street, suggestions for later shows, updates on crowds and lines, and other things to allow you to experience some of the RIJF even if you're not here.

Live Updates from RIJF

Ring, Ring . . . Moblogging from the RIJF

This is a live update from from the Rochester International Jazz Festival in Rochester, NY.  Click on the bar to find out . . . it may be an observation or interview on the street, suggestions for later shows, updates on crowds and lines, and other things to allow you to experience some of the RIJF even if you're not here.

Live Updates from RIJF

Ring, Ring . . . Moblogging from the RIJF

This is a live update from from the Rochester International Jazz Festival in Rochester, NY. Click on the bar to find out . . . it may be an observation or interview on the street, suggestions for later shows, updates on crowds and lines, and other things to allow you to experience some of the RIJF even if you're not here.

Live Updates from RIJF