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This is a little late as I was out catching Medeski, Martin & Wood at The German House tonight (well, now it is last night). My lovely wife, Dianna, helped out with the listings and made it possible for me to get them to you before Thursday night....Thanks, Dianna.
Those with "[added]" or that are stricken were changes found after initial publication of the post. Check the venue sites or call for more information. I've compiled these from other sources and from the artists themselves, so please forgive me if there are any discrepancies with reality and feel free to let me know if something is wrong and I'll get the change up on the site as soon as possible. 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).
This Friday, February 29th, Exodus To Jazz will be presenting jazz pianist and composer Harold Danko’s Quadrennial Leap Year event, a concert that provides both the motivation and opportunity for Danko to present his original music every four years. Harold Danko’s inaugural Quadrennial Leap Year Event started in 1980 at the Jazz Gallery in New York City and has been presented at legendary New York City jazz clubs including Birdland and the Five Spot. Most recently it was found at Rochester’s Little Theatre Café in 2000 and 2004. 
This year the event is being presented at VENU Resto-Lounge & Nightclub on Friday, February 29, 2008 with two shows (7:00 & 9:00 PM). Billed by Danko as the "slowest-growing cult event of modern times," he will be leading a quintet comprised of guest saxophonist Rich Perry and Danko’s fellow Eastman School of Music professors Clay Jenkins (trumpet), Jeff Campbell (bass) and Rich Thompson (drums). Several other musicians have been invited to make an appearance. For more information, you can contact Danko via email or by telephone at (585) 218-9732) or Exodus To Jazz Productions (by telephone (585) 325-9162). The VENU Resto-Lounge & Nightclub is located at 151 St. Paul Street, Rochester, N.Y. Tickets are $ 10.00 and can be purchased at the door, by calling 585-325-9162 or through ExodusToJazz. Student tickets are $ 5.00 with a current ID.
So, you may have noticed a new badge I created in the left column. Click on it and you'll be magically transported to the Jazz@Rochester online store. The store has been there for awhile and a few of you have found it through the text link I used to have there. This post is really a shout out to the local artists out there to send me some links and album art for your new releases so I can add them to the store.
I tried the Amazon A-Store thing for awhile, but it really wasn't doing it for me, and I'd rather give local artists the chance to link to the online source that provides them the biggest payback (I know that Amazon doesn't). I may add an Amazon link (if one exists) to give people who prefer to buy from them the opportunity to do that.
Artists and groups . . . SEND ME YOUR STUFF! I need something to replace some of the current occupants, which are now not really "new releases".
I reserve the right to take my own damn time in getting a particular CD up on the Store and in deciding whether or not to put one up there.
In addition to Medeski Martin & Wood and the Respect Sextet coming into town over the next seven days there will be a lot more live jazz music out and about in Rochester, so check it out. I aim for these to be the most complete listings for jazz in and around Rochester. Let me know if I left anything out....
Those with "[added]" or that are stricken were changes found after initial publication of the post. Check the venue sites or call for more information. I've compiled these from other sources and from the artists themselves, so please forgive me if there are any discrepancies with reality and feel free to let me know if something is wrong and I'll get the change up on the site as soon as possible. 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).
There is some jazz out there in the coming seven days. Get out there and check it out!
Those with "[added]" or that are stricken were changes found after initial publication of the post. Check the venue sites or call for more information. I've compiled these from other sources and from the artists themselves, so please forgive me if there are any discrepancies with reality and feel free to let me know if something is wrong and I'll get the change up on the site as soon as possible. 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).
So, were you as surprised as Herbie Hancock was on last night's 2007 Grammy Awards show when it was announced that his album of Joni Mitchell music River: The Joni Letters had won the Best Album award? Damn! A jazz album getting a Grammy for Best Album? As the stunned Hancock pointed out, this was the first time that it had happened in over 40 years. While I dutifully report the Grammy nominations, I've often disagreed with and sometimes outright guffawed at their choices for Best Album and other categories. Who woulda thunk that they'd actually pick a jazz album and a pretty damn good one to boot! While River: The Joni Letters was seen by some as just another in a number of lesser works that have been appearing on the jazz scene trying to cadge some sales out of tributes to this or that artist's music, with the obligatory appearance by Norah Jones, it is unlike those albums in a number of ways that distinguish it and, I think, make it a great jazz album, despite receiving a Grammy. First, Joni Mitchell's music and lyrics have always struck me as full of jazz sensibilities. Listening to her music and her forays into jazz, such as 1979's Mingus
The winners of the Jazz categories (including another for River):
Herbie Hancock [Verve]
Patti Austin [Rendezvous Entertainment]
Michael Brecker [Heads Up International]
Terence Blanchard [Blue Note]
Paquito D'Rivera Quintet [Paquito Records]Leave a comment and tell us what you think. If you'd like to buy the albums on Amazon click on the links (or on the picture for River). Apparently, there is a special Amazon only version of River: The Joni Letters that has two bonus tracks, including "All I Want" by Sonya Kitchell, whom some of you may have heard at the 2006 Rochester International Jazz Festival.
If you've reading this blog for the past couple of years, you'll know that I'm a big supporter of the great Exodus to Jazz series of shows brought to you over the past two years by Jose DaCosta, who brings in top notch artists, both new and established. Jose has made a major announcement about the 2008 Season for this exciting Series and I wanted to share it with you now.
After one more show at the VENU Resto Lounge and Club, beginning with the March 14th show, the Exodus To Jazz series will be moving to the Clarion Riverside Hotel downtown! Jose has made the move to accommodate anticipated growth while providing with several enhancements for patrons of the series, including:
Jose has also announced the Winter/Spring lineup of jazz and its got both new names (well, new to Rochester) and old friends:
Jose believes that the new venues represent an opportunity to enhance the live jazz experience for both partrons and artists. I hope you check out these shows and support this series. Knowing Jose, he's only getting started!
Last night I got home from work and before I had moved completely into a post work week stupor, I got a call from my friend saxophone player Jimmie Highsmith Jr. While I knew Wycliffe Gordon, the fantastic trombone player with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra and former veteran of the Wynton Marsalis Septet, was in town to play a concert with the kids out in Hilton, Jimmie told me that he might show up later at Jimmie's gig with members of Filthy Funk at the new Club Network over on Central Street near the old Post Office. Getting to hear Wycliffe blow live is always a treat, and I enjoy hearing Jimmie and Filthy Funk's jams so I headed downtown. Typical for a lot of venues in Rochester, Jimmie and the Filthy Funk were playing to a house of maybe ten, most of whom weren't paying too much attention. As they played a second set, still no Wycliffe, the place started filling up and people started noticing the funky sounds coming from the back of the room (really liked the version of Wayne Shorter's Footprints and Mr. PC, a Coltrane tune off of Jimmie's most recent album, It Is What It Is.
A third set started and it seemed that the fates had kept Mr. Gordon from joining us on this night. About a half hour before the end of the final set, in walked Wycliffe Gordon. He set up and then blew incredible solos and fills during the two last songs. I'm sure some of the folks in Club Network that night didn't know that they had just heard one of the best jazz trombone players in the world blow. And boy did he blow . . . .
Serving up some live jazz around Rochester, but not nearly enough this week. Why you say? I'm seeing a trend in some of the sources I turn to (City Newspaper, Freetime, etc.) of not finding a listing for a number of venues that where live jazz is sometimes or often heard. Could be the time of year, the cold, the rain, a whole bunch of things. I just hope it's not less music. Freetime's site calendar was down altogether (I may be adding some stuff from that if they get their act together.
Some of above below were sent direct to me by the artists or venues. Artists and groups, if you don't already do so, feel free to do so if you don't get something up on one of the aforementioned sources or let me know where your placing listings of your gigs so I can find out where you're playing (other than your website--I just can't check all of those).
Those with "[added]" or that are stricken were changes found after initial publication of the post. Check the venue sites or call for more information. I've compiled these from other sources and from the artists themselves, so please forgive me if there are any discrepancies with reality and feel free to let me know if something is wrong and I'll get the change up on the site as soon as possible. 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).
Jim Allen, a Rochester photographer who is known for his pictures of jazz musicians both here in Rochester and elsewhere, is showing his work in Jazz: The Spirit of the Moment at the Arts & Cultural Council of Greater Rochester gallery. The show is opening tomorrow, February 5th and runs through February 28th. If you've seen the cover of the most recent issue of the Arts and Cultural Council's Metropolitan magazine, you'll see one of his images of Sonny Rollins.
There is an opening reception this Friday, February 8th, from 5:00 to 8:00 pm at the gallery. The gallery is located in our offices at 277 N. Goodman Street. Call (585) 473-4000 for more information.
The XRIJF is coming soon, so check it out, but...
...Please come back!
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