Jazz@Rochester

"Finale" of last year's RIJF on WXXI tomorrow, hosted by Tom Hampson

Mostly Jazz Host Tom Hampson, heard Sundays at 7 p.m. on WXXI AM1370, will be in the studio to present the final episode of WXXI’s 2008 Rochester International Jazz Festival (RIJF) series. Hampson, who was involved in the 1970s WXXI production of the At the Top jazz series, and this month will be celebrating his 50th year of playing jazz on the radio in Rochester, will introduce the final episode of the RIJF series on the 2008 Rochester International Jazz Festival, which airs tomorrow, June 2 at 9:30 p.m. on WXXI-TV21. The Rochester International Jazz Festival series was shot during last year's festival. Shot in high-definition and recorded in the historic Kilbourn Hall at the Eastman School of Music, the series tries to capture the essence of the Rochester International Jazz Festival. This final episode includes selections from Catherine Russell, Slide Hampton, and The Bad Plus, and provides sights and sounds in and around the nine-day festival.

Survey says . . . a few of my readers' thoughts on the 2008 Rochester International Jazz Festival (Part Two)

This second post on the RIJF survey is a bit more difficult as the responses were so diverse that I think it's best to paint it with a broader brush, highlighting some of the areas where several people had something to say, but not providing a verbatim account (I will use quotes where I am, however). As far as the question about suggestions for the RIJF to see, I will be sending the full responses on to the RIJF staff, both positive and negative (so as not to lose any of their, shall we say, direct and sometimes earthy expression).  I appreciate the kind words many of you had about Jazz@Rochester and will take to heart some of your suggestions regarding our RIJF coverage.

If you would change one thing about the RIJF, what would it be?

While some couldn't limit themselves to just one suggestion, there were some themes in the responses to this questions, including:

Comments on the strategy of selecting artists:

• I liked the response from one reader who wrote that the RIJF should "...keep balancing the old and the new...need big names for the draw, and build a reputation as the "Cannes" of new discoveries who are just turning the corner into notoriety."
• Several people thought there should be more local talent included in the festival. More than one suggested a secondary series of shows, like the Nordic Jazz Now series, dedicated exclusively to Rochester area musicians. As one wrote, "[i]f this were the Chicago Int'l Festival, say, then most likely there would be many Chicago-based musicians on the bill.The RIJF is a fantastic opportunity to put some of our best local musicians in the spotlight."
• Several spoke to specific artists or genres of artists they'd like to hear at future RIJFs. One was looking for more "elite" headliners, naming Herbie Hancock, John McLaughlin, Joni Mitchell, Chick Corea, Asleep at the Wheel, or Taj Mahal and adding "hang the expense." Another spoke to the lack of emphasis on "contemporary jazz & R&B artists such as Lee Ritenour, Fourplay, Bobby Caldwell, Ivan Lins, Patti Austin, Dave Grusin ,Brian Auger, Tower of Power. Another, a fan of artists like John Hollenbeck and John Zorn and the more abstract scene felt there was virtually nothing from that area to check out this year and would like to see more.
• One reader thought there should be bands roving the streets a la New Orleans. 
• Another reader wrote of wanting to know the artist roster much more earlier than just one month before the festival begins. The reader wrote that "once the artists have been secured then the blog and various media could start the buzz around Rochester and choices could be made well in advance as to what shows are the most interesting to prospective patrons" (this comment was really on the Jazz@Rochester question, but I thought it fit here).

Comments on the sound:

• "Fix the sound at Christ Church--it was a nearly unlistenable venue this year"  (I have to agree with this assessment).
• One reader questioned whether all venues or artists need amplification, including Kilbourn Hall (recalling hearing an acoustic set of the Phil Woods Quartet at Red Creek without mikes years back finding the sound great). Also had words about the tent. Another found that Harro East's sound so bad that "the music suffers greatly."

Comments on the Club Passes, food & other logistical issues:

• There were some who thought that RIJF should try different types of Club Passes, including passes good for the weekends to make it easier for someone visiting from out of town to get all there was to get out of the fest for a particular day and day passes.
• Several had suggestions regarding the food and other offerings of vendors at the RIJF, including: providing more vegetarian options ("vendors were too meat centric and we ended up eating dinner before we left for the festival.  If there was a good veggie alternative we would have spent more money at the festival and just ate there"); serving beer brewed by Rochester's High Falls Brewery (OK, the reader said Genny...); and a wider wine selection at Max's.
• Of course, there were issues with the lines and scheduling conflicts (although on the latter, the reader noted that this is a good problem to have).  One reader suggested that the times for performances be alternated so that there is no dead/down time; for example 6:00, 7:30; 9, 10 or 10:30.  Another suggested having more artists appear on more than one day.
• There was a suggestion for more afternoon concerts.
• One reader says that RIJF needs to "[g]et a different artist to do the poster. What was originally artistic has become a series of cliches."

Comments on the jazz vs. non-jazz:

• On reader wrote that "[m]y worst memories of this year's festival are leaving a wonderful jazz concert and stepping into the street to hear blasting, pounding non-jazz. From the sublime to the ridiculous, literally. It's the RIJF, for crying out loud, not some drunken East End Fest." He also had a problem with the "slobs putting their feet up in Kilbourn Hall."
• Another reader wrote "[p]lease leave the Jerry Lee Lewis shit at home. There's no justification for that as he and others (FS jr. for ex.) are not showing up at the hipper more revered jazz fests across the land and certainly not in Europe."
• However, another wrote "I would like RIJF attendees to stop whining when there are 'other than mainstream jazz' acts at the fest. The RIJF allows us the opportunity to come together as a community and experience musical art that we may not otherwise be exposed to during the course of the year. Just like TV there are some 800 channels to choose from—if you don't like one channel then change it."

What kind of coverage would you like to see more of in Jazz@Rochester during the festival?

While a lot of responses to this question were complimentary, there were several observations and suggestions for coverage of future RIJFs that I'd like to share and solicit your further comment:

• Several spoke to wanting to see more daily coverage and to hear more voices. One reader wrote "[m]ore contributors so broader and timely daily coverage is achieved." Another wrote "[i]t would be neat if you had multiple reporters feeding live updates of various performances so, for instance, someone could've written a rave at the first set of Timo Lassy  and folks could rearrange their plans to catch the second set." Another suggesetd that "[I] could rely on more local musicians, especially younger people, for guest reports and things of that nature. I noticed that happened a bit before the festival on your site, but during, you seemed to be flying solo... [] more opinions=better coverage to me." The more voices I was working on, but just didn't get it in place beforehand. I recognize the need for more help and will be recruiting some more during the year so we're prepared next RIJF. Let me know if you'd like to contribute.
• One reader remembered an earlier interview of pianist Geri Allen from last year and suggested doing more of that. Interviews are hard work and I just couldn't swing a credible shot at them this year, but perhaps more next year?
• Someone suggested more "DaJazz" podcasts (our inaugural issue from last year is here). Seth, Ken and I just didn't get to it this year. We tried to record one, but it sounded pretty lame, so we didn't inflict it on you.
• Someone suggested more video. I don't have a camera, but I'm happy to post more of it if someone else takes some quality footage and wants to send it my way (or send me a link on YouTube or other video aggregator).  There is quite a lot of video of the RIJF available out there and I have been thinking of doing a series of posts highlighting them.
• One person suggested there be less promotion of alcohol. This was one of the surprise comment, but in looking back over my posts, I can see the reader's point. Jazz is often found in close proximity to the stuff, and I do like my beer and other spirits. While I don't like the idea of censoring myself, there is no need to waive the stein in people's faces quite so much.

So there it is.  I really got a lot out of this exercise and intend to do this every year.  As I noted in the companion to this post yesterday, if you missed adding your voice to the poll itself, feel free to add your two cents in the comments below on this post (I'd ask that you add it to the one that includes the questions you want to comment on). 

Survey says . . . a few of my readers' thoughts on the 2008 Rochester International Jazz Festival (Part One)

For the past month, I've been collecting the thoughts some of you had about the 2008 Rochester International Jazz Festival through an online survey.  I asked my readers 5 questions, including:

• Who was your favorite artist or group at this year's jazz festival?
• What artist of group would you like to hear at next year's RIJF?
• What level of RIJF fanatic were you? (giving you a few choices, including "All 9 days, baby...")
• If you would change one thing about the RIJF, what would it be?
• What kind of coverage would you like to see more of in Jazz@Rochester during the festival?

I'm finally getting around to setting out the results of this informal and very unscientific poll of about 25 of my readers. Eight who responded had been to all 9 days of the festival.  All but three of the rest had been "onsite" 5 or more days. In this first post, I'll cover the first three questions. In one published tomorrow, we'll look at some of the suggested changes to the RIJF and to my coverage of it in Jazz@Rochester. My survey did not record any information about who thought these other than their responses, but in almost all cases their responses seemed genuine.

Who was your favorite artist or group at this year's jazz festival?

The responses here were across the wide spectrum of music that was found at this year's RIJF.  Some who received more than one vote included:

• Billy's Band (3)
• Bad Plus (2)
• Beady Belle (2)
• Blake Tartar (2)
• Dr. Lonnie Smith with Mel Henderson and Ulysses Owens (2)
• Timo Lassi Band (2)
• Wilbirds & Peacedrums (2)

Others who received a vote included (in alphabetical order):

• Richard Bona
• Djabe
• Al Foster
• Gillespiana
• Dave Liebman
• Joe Locke
• Carmen Lundy (at the Jazz at the Philharmonic)
• Ola Kvernberg Trio
• Stephanie McKay
• Rochester Jazz at the Philharmonic
• Boz Scaggs
• John Scofield
• Jacky Terrason
• Sachal Vasandani
• The Buddhahood
• Kristian Blak & Yggdrasil

What artist of group would you like to hear at next year's RIJF?

This question brought a wide assortment of artists and groups in response as well, including some we've seen before at the RIJF and some who haven't been in Rochester for quite some time. Here they are in alphabetical order (there were no repeats):

• Karrin Allyson
• Jane Ira Bloom
• Renato Braz
• Capital Bones
• James Carter
• Ravi Coltrane
• Chick Corea and Return to Forever
• Dena DeRose
• Allan Holdsworth
• Keith Jarrett
• Diana Krall
• John Legend
• Carmen Lundy
• Pink Martini
• Pat Martino
• Sergio Mendes
• Marion McPartland
• Diane Reeves
• Jake Shimabikuru
• Aaron Staebell (local)
• Scott Whitfield (West Coast trombonist)
• Sex Mob
• John Zorn & Masada

If you missed adding your voice to the poll itself, feel free to add your two cents in the comments below on this post and tomorrow's (I'd ask that you add it to the one that includes the questions you want to comment on).

Tell us about your RIJF...One week left

A few weeks ago, I let you know about a survey I'd created to give us your thoughts on the 2008 Rochester International Jazz Festival to find out what you liked about the RIJF and where there was room for improvement in both the festival and in this blog's coverage.  The answers of a growing number of my readers have been recorded over the past few weeks and and I'll compile them and share them with you (and with the producers of the RIJF where appropriate) soon. You can fill the online questionnaire is here. Do so soon as I will only be keeping the link open until Sunday, July 27th. Please take a few minutes to fill it out!

Putting in the Pepto Bismol nights . . . John Nugent talks with City about RIJF

Recently ran across the article resulting from a July 2nd interview that Frank DeBlase over at City Newspaper did with Rochester International Jazz Festival honcho John Nugent.  There's some interesting stuff in there on how they set the number of Club Passes each year (this year it was 3,200, which sold out early) and why the non-jazz acts are necessary (which I've explained elsewhere and don't add up to that many anyway). Frank even gives us his own tally of jazz vs. non-jazz at the end. 

So, what did you think about the 7th Annual Rochester International Jazz Festival? Take the poll....

I'm going to try something new and provide my readers another way to voice their thoughts.  So what do you think about the Rochester International Jazz Festival and our coverage here.  I have created a questionnaire for you to fill out and let us know what you thought after attending the festival. Your answers will be recorded and I'll compile them and share them with the readers of this blog (and the people at RIJF) in a few weeks. Let me know if you have any questions. The questionnaire is here.  Please take a few minutes to fill it out.

The question I kept getting asked on Jazz Street ... What have been your favorites at this year's RIJF?

Took me awhile to recover enough from nine days of too much beer and street meat, and too little sleep. Now that those are all digested, I might be able to look back on the Seventh Rochester International Jazz Festival with clearer eyes.  This may be one of several posts recapping 2008's RIJF and looking toward 2009.  Although not doubling like it did in previous years, the Rochester International Jazz Festival posted a record crowd of over 125,000 over its 9 days. It was great again seeing so many people having fun in downtown Rochester.

So I guess I'll start with the obvious...What were my favorites of 2008's Rochester Jazz Festival?  There was such a rich diversity of music that it's hard to confine my choices, but out of the 600 artists or so that played during the festival, I'll give it a go:

• On Day 1, the Timo Lassy Band at the fantastic Nordic Jazz Now series.  Perhaps it is the first day excitement, but the set by this Finnish artist and his band was smokin. They started hard and didn't let up. While the NJN series did not offer as many things I felt compelled to see this year, I still think that it is a great addition to the festival and look forward as Nugent programs in series from other nations (apparently the next will be from the UK).
• On Day 2, Stephanie McKay delivered the goods at High Fidelity and reminded me again of how the RIJF is a place to discover all kinds of music, not just jazz.
• Also on Day 2, I need to add Dee Dee Bridgewater and the musical and spiritual journey I took with my lovely wife Dianna through her discovery of her roots in Mali.
• On Day 4, Dave Liebman was an artist I had not been exposed to and he was a great find.
• I just had a great time spending two sets with the good Doctor Lonnie Smith, Ulysses Owens and Mel Henderson aon Day 5.  Just can't help it with that B3 organ trio sound kicking out the grooves.
• I had an absolutely great night of music on Day 6 with Dave Murray's Black Saint Quartet and the historic gathering of artists for the Rochester Jazz at the Philharmonic.
• On Day 7, it was great to see Joe Locke bringing it home with his new band Force of Four and I discovered Blake Tartare by sheer accident.
• Day 8 brought me another discovery—Billy's Band from St. Petersburg, Russia.

In many ways the above is a good representation of what makes the RIJF so satisfying musically. It's not just one kind of jazz or one kind of music, ranging from straightahead to "outsider" to R&B to offbeat.  I discovered some artists that I will now want to listen to and will soon be making a pilgrimage to the Bop Shop to start purchasing some of their CDs.

This year's RIJF was just a great time for me and I can't believe it's already over. Thanks to John Nugent, Marc Iacona, Jean Dalmath and the rest of the RIJF staff and volunteers for putting on another great festival of music.  I'll continue to do some other wrap ups as I think of them and will also continue with the listings and other regularly scheduled programming. What do you think?  Leave a short comment to let us know about your favorites (although we've heard enough from one artist's fans, if you know what I mean....) and watch the blog for a poll that I intend to add soon so you can let us know your favorites and who you'd like to see for the Eighth Annual RIJF next year.

It ain't over until the guy with the hat sings ... Another Rochester International Jazz Festival wraps

The last day of the Rochester International Jazz Festival was a bit light on the jazz with a large slathering of jam, but a satisfying end to the nine days of music, exploration, good friends and fun that RIJF has come to be for me.  After arriving at 4:30, I got into a line that started forming much earlier than usual (around 4:00 pm) for the 6:00 pm performance of Catherine Russell and had a couple of beers in line while people watching and talking with friends in line and walking by.

I missed Catherine Russell last year. She was one of the sleepers from the 2007 RIJF and they had moved her up to the bigger hall for 2008. Coming from a historic lineage (her father Luis Russell was a composer and arranger who was Louis Armstrong's music director for a long time; her mother is a bassist and vocalist who worked with Mary Lou Williams and Wynton Marsalis), she also takes a look back in her choice of songs of her father and those of others by Wynonie Harris, Fats Waller, and Alec Wilder among others, many of them on her new album Sentimental Streak. Russell's voice is strong and she's a real entertainer who made each of the songs come alive through her intros and, especially, through her eyes and expressions while singing them. One thing about Russell that stands out for me is that she released her first album, Cat, at the age of 50. For those of us still redefining ourselves at a late date in our lives, her success is encouraging (and also a testament to her amazing talent).

After a stop at Stromboli Express (future note: during the jazz fest, that's express only if you get a slice, not a stromboli), Ken, Seth and I strolled down east to catch at least some of Medeski Martin and Wood. The jam band groupies were out in force and it looked like a particularly crowded night on the East End, although there was a strangely large number of older folks like ourselves on the streets. When the crowd got to critical mass and the clock approached 10:00 pm (although now I wish we had been there when Chuck Campbell, who like MMW is known to the Bonnaroo crowd, sat in for a few songs), we decided to head on down to the Rochester Plaza Hotel for the final event of the 2008 RIJF, the song stylings of now-retired WXXI-FM announcer Mordecai Lipshutz, who always closes out the RIJF with a song at the final nights after-hours. OK, we hoped we'd hear some of the artists who were still in town. We were not disappointed.  The Sliding Hammers did a couple of short numbers on their 'bones and there was a fantastic set by the Soul Rebels with Bob Sneider that had the house jammin NOLA-Style. Almost thought we were going to do a second line to close out the festival (and perhaps they did over at the late-late show at the Flat Iron? Tom, let me know...). After John Nugent and some other local talent jammed for awhile, Mordecai finally came up in his signature straw fedora on after last call with presents for John Nugent, Marc Iacona, and the house trio for the after hours Bob Sneider, Mike Melito and Phil Flanagan—a Mordecai Lipshutz bobble-head doll! Mordecai then launched into a couple of songs, including the traditional RIJF closer We'll Be Together Again. And off we went into the night....well, early morning.

Look for a wrap up post soon and I hope to do a wrap up Da Jazz podcast with my friends and fellow bloggers Ken and Seth before too long (we did one other earlier in the festival, but decided not to posted it for your sakes...). Then it's back to all that jazz that is found here throughout the year.  I welcome the new readers who have subscribed and/or found Jazz@Rochester during this festival and hope you stick around and support jazz in Rochester throughout the year. I hope to be making some changes around here and doing a few interactive things to get your opinions, etc.

Some additional voices on the last day and wrap ups from our major media folks:

• Anna Reguero wraps it up on the front page of Sunday's Democrat & Chronicle with This year's Rochester International Jazz Festival was much more than just jazz.
• Jeff Spevak wraps up the RIJF in Sunday's paper as well with Rochester jazz festival was week of traditions, future.
• Ron Netsky writes up his take on Day 9 with JAZZ BLOG 08, DAY 9: Who could ask for more?
• Frank DeBlase takes a stab at RIJF beat poetry with JAZZ BLOG 08, DAY 9: Ode to the 2008 RIJF.
• Brendan Guisti's 9th Day was JAZZ BLOG 08, DAY 9: Exactly what a festival should be.
• Jen Grady dreams of southern-fried sideburns in JAZZ BLOG 08, DAY 9: Dreaming of sideburns.
• Popwars opines You Think We Would Have Had Enough
• I'll add others, if any, as they get posted.

Jazz@Rochester calling in . . .

Click on the bar below to hear a live moblog from the 2008 Rochester International Jazz Festival in Rochester, New York. 

A short signoff from the beginning of the end...the final after-hours of the 2008 RIJF... (sorry about the sound quality)

Clap Hands and other ditties on Day 8 of the Rochester International Jazz Festival

Day 8 at the Rochester International Jazz Festival was mostly a free floating experience. Ken and I met up and got a sandwich to eat from Java's, which gave us a respite from street meat for a day (although I don't really believe that the sauerkraut on my Reuben qualifies as a vegetable, which have been in short supply in my stomach all week). We sat at a table outside of Java's, people watched and listened to the great high school bands from Fairport and Spencerport.  Then we took a stroll down East Ave. (with a quick stop at Havana Moe's) toward Alexander to listen to the Skatalites. Although many of the original band from the early 60s are no longer with us, the band really kicked up the ska with a thick layer of horns. It brought back some memories from parties in college in the 1980s when ska was being resurrected by groups like The Specials, The Selecter, The Beat, Madness, and Bad Manners. Before their set was over, we began walking back down East.

There was only one thing I really felt compelled to go hear and that was Billy's Band at Max at Eastman Place. Thanks to Jane deciding that sitting in the line that began developing soon after the first set for several hours was the way to go, we had great seats up front for the second set.  Billy's Band hails from St. Petersburg Russia.  Leader Vadim (Billy) Novik, simultaneously channeling Tom Waits and Raskolnikov, growled and spit out the biting words of Waits songs like Clap Hands and Blue Valentines and Russian songs (as I don't know Russian or all of Waits' songs, I can't tell you whether they were written by Novik, Waits or someone else. I wish Tanya had been with us to help translate...).  In between the songs, Novik told tales in broken English and continued the Waits schitck with cocks of the head and other mannerisms of the Bard of the Dispossessed. Like others writing about the performance of Billy's Band at Max last night (see below), I'll continue the comparison of guitarist Andrey Ryzhik to Harpo Marx, but in addition to the hair, the comparison is more apt than it seems. Like Harpo, underneath the silence and comic antics, Ryzhik was much smarter than he appeared. He would jump around and goof (I like how he'd see someone outside the window and turned with his bandmate Mikhail Zhydkikh to play for them), but when he needed to be there in the song or to make a change on the effects board or something else connected to the music, he was all business and intense concentration. Anton Matezius played a beautiful accordion, sang and also took a couple turns on hand drum to compliment the minimal percussion for the group (other than Novik's slapping bass), which was a single floor tom and cowbell played occasionally by Zhydkikh, who is also a talented sax player. I expect that Russians have a deep resonance with many of the underlying themes of Waits' music as they appear to be very popular (and have been for awhile) in Russia and in the Russian community in the States. Sure it was schtick, but it was really fun and satisfying schtick. This was one of the highlights of the festival for me and most who attended, who scarfed up their CDs.  Billy's Band has to be experienced live, but if you want to get a taste, check out videos of Clap Hands and Ice Cream Man.

After that we didn't need more festival and it was such a beautiful night, so we headed over to Abilene, the new bar near the Harro East for a nightcap. As the Park Avenue Band wrapped up their last set, we moved out to Abilene's great back yard patio and had our own after-hours, listening to reggae, and talking about the RIJF and the music scene in Rochester with Tom Kohn of the Bop Shop.  A good night.

Other voices out there in the 8th RIJF night:

• More than one person told me that Carolyn Wonderland was a gem last night, including Jeff Spevak, who wrote Unknown Wonderland shines at Rochester jazz festival in the Democrat & Chronicle.
• Jack Garner reviews Al Green in the D&C in Al Green delivers moving soul performance at Eastman Theatre.
• Anna Reguero got around last night and posted a number of times in the D&C Jazz Notes blog, including Squished, Come and take me, here I am, It ain't necessarily so, and some postings from the after-hours at the Rochester Plaza Hotel and the Flatiron Cafe.
• Spevak also wrote a post on the D&C's blog.
• Ron Netsky at City Newspaper couldn't get enough Al Green and checked out Billy's Band in JAZZ BLOG 08, DAY 8: Not enough Al.
• I was sitting next to City's Frank DeBlase during the second set of Billy's Band and he appeared to be having a religious experience. DeBlase wishes there had been a third set in JAZZ BLOG 08, DAY 8: Alligator shoes.
• Brendan Guisti of City Newspaper took in the Soul Rebels in High Fidelity and Soulive out on the street writing JAZZ BLOG 08, DAY 8: Crawfish and gumbo every afternoon.
• Jen Graney of City Newspaper went to see Carolyn Wonderland and wrote JAZZ BLOG 08, DAY 8: A hard time letting go.
• Seth posted about Days 6 and 8 a little later over at Cup O'BooksJazz.