Interesting comments flying around on JazzRochester.com. The musicians and jazz enthusiasts benefit from having such a cool forum and informational tool.

Jazz is an art form that embodies many influences(geographical, cultural, historical(including other types of music: classical, world music, whatever......the scope expands every year). We all have our likes and dislikes. I always say "If all jazz musicians played the same way -- it would be a very boring music". However, truly progressive jazz artists have such a deep internal understanding of the historical repertoire of the music, the vocabulary, the feeling of swing, the subtleties of rhythmic/harmonic/melodic interplay, and an ability to execute all with passion and originality. The folks that play at the Strathallan regularly(Kaupa, Dobbins, Hofmann, Melito, Ziemba, Vitale, Flanigan) and the guests such as VIncent Herring, Pat Labarbera, Ken Peplowski, Jim Rotondi, John Sneider, John Swana, Warren Vache, John Stetch, Gerry Niewood, Phil Polombi, Peter Bernstein, John Nugent, Grant Stewart, Harry Allen, Walt Weiskopf, Mike Karn, Don Menza and Frank Strazerri -- just to name a few -- are progressive players that play with conviction, originality and perform with an informed knowledge of the history of the music. All of the guests that come through remark at how flexible the quartet or trio is to nail anything called. The audiences never know what to expect -- but they are guaranteed a swingin' affair!

Every guest that comes through the Strath remarks at how the house band could be touring or playing in major cities. Often, many musicians turn down gigs where they can not bring their own band to town. However, I routinely get calls and emails from NYC's heaviest players or their management trying to hook up dates at the Strathallan.

A very PROGRESSIVE component to the Strahallan guest series has been educational programs offered through the Eastman Community Music and the Eastman School of Music's Jazz Dept. I have worked tirelessly (for no extra financial benefit) to present these great artists conducting workshops in a unique educational environment thanks to the financial support of Dr. Ned Freeman and Hal Schuler...and a few others. Some guests also conduct workshops at public schools in the area. The jazz audience of Upstate NY and the music students in the area benefit from this great partnership. We are so lucky to have a great support system of radio stations (Jazz90.1FM, WXXI 1370, WJZR), print publications(City, Freetime, D&C) and Jazzrochester.com to get the word out!

I hope more and more folks continue to support Jazz @ The Strath and all of our other venues to hear live jazz of all varieties. I am so inspired every time I hear great players play and feel lucky to be a part of it. Equally gratifying is hearing young players from the city and burbs tearing it up.

Keep up the great work at jazzrochester.com!!!!

Please let it be known when I wrote some comments on the scene in Rochester and how undeversified it is musically I wasn't speaking about any musicians specifically. I was actually reflecting on the scene as a whole which includes the venues and the audiences and different types of Jazz available here. I have the utmost respect, honor and priviledge of playing with the musicians here in Rochester and all the musicians in Upstate New York. My intent was to comment on how the scene here could be more open to many levels of Jazz and how there could/should be more venues to support the different directions of Jazz. Rochester is very fortunate to have such talented artists residing in such a conservative town as this but also the audience should be more responsive to such deversifications of Jazz. This is a great web site and a priviledge to be able to read and write comments about the music we so love and enjoy playing. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Fred Stone
PS. I wrote the previous posted comment after a gig one night at about 2 AM so I guess I wasn't so very clear in my presentation of it, you know how that goes.

I am from New York city and have performed at many venues there including the Blue Note. I left New York because I wanted to continue my education, continue teaching, travel, but have a home base where I am paying LESS RENT. So I came to Rochester and was very impressed of the talented Jazz musicians and venues here in Rochester and still close to my city.

I love going to the Strath! Bob Sneider puts his heart and love for jazz in his performances presenting guest that make me feel I am in New York, swingin'improvisational moments.

Bob would tell me in my piano class,tell us where you are singing Whitney so we can support you either in town or Duabi!

I respect Bob Sneider and what he continues to do for the Jazz scene here and I will continue to support the Strath. There is just a warmness of the room and the vibe of
the players who come there. Of course I would love to sing there one day and perhaps if schedules allow this will happen in the future.

I like the Exodus to Jazz series, FlatIron, Lodge at woodcliff just to name a few.

Jazz community in Rochester is maybe hotter than what you all think! I have performed at many festivals and what you all may say with the greatst of muscians and I am honored to sing with the Music Jazz Educators Essemble on June 18th at the Rochester Jazz festival. There are some talented musicans right here in Rochester performing or just living here and on the road.

I respect the covereage jazz@Rochester gives us thumbs up.

BUT.... when Branford Marsalis came and performed recently he said "where are all the musicians in Rochester I thought they would come by and say hey?" I said Brandford
there is only so many here this is not New York they are working, teaching, out of town or have the night off to be with there families!

SO....... MUSICIANS DON'T FORGET YOUR MUSICAL FAMILY AS WELL WE WANT TO SEE YOU AT OUR GIGS TOO.