Archive for the ‘Art’ Category

Tear the Roof off tha Sucker

Saturday, July 25th, 2009

Sax man Marion Meadows said he’s wanted to perform in Syracuse for a long time, sick especially since his sister lives here.  He finally got his chance last night during a sizzling performance for the Northeast Jazz and Wine Festival (formerly Jazz in the Square).  During the set Meadows did a roll call of musicians that have influenced his band, people such as Grover, Ella, Miles, Coltrane, James Brown and some others. Then before bringing the house down, he asked a simple question: “What happens when some Funk falls into your cereal?”

The crowd in Clinton Square for the festival concert got the answer, but Meadows added a cresendo later when his band brought their steady rhythms to Jazz Central for an intimate late night jam session (which typically follow the festival performances).

In addition to his quartet, Meadows vibed with musicians such as Eudy Ferdandez and The Brubeck Institute Jazz Quintet, featuring Chad Lefkowitz-Brown, Noah Kellman, Nick Frenay, Zach Brown, and Corey Fonville.

Joe Magnarelli also joined the session, which funked up the house til well past midnight.

Kenneth & Kenny: Watching one, Listening to the other

Thursday, July 2nd, 2009
Kenny G 2009 Syracuse Jazz Fest

Kenny G JazzFest 2009

I had the opportunity to cover the 2009 Syracuse Jazz Fest at OCC last week and see Spyro Gyra and Kenny Gorelick (aka Kenny G.)  I’m familiar with some of Gorelick’s work, and maybe my favorite cut is “Hi! How Ya Doin, ” which was produced by Kashif.  If you check out the video, you can see Kenny G before he had the long curly hair and you can even see his dance moves.

What I didn’t know about Kenny G is that he has sold over 50 million albums, he started out playing with Barry White’s Love Unlimited Orchestra and his wife is photographer Lyndie Benson.

Before Kenny G took the stage I had a wonderful conversation for the Jazz Fest’s piano tuner Kenneth Williams back stage. I know Williams from a previous job and we’ve had brief conversations about his vision (he’s legally blind) his hearing (he has what he calls “good relative pitch.”) and his love of music (he doesn’t own a piano but he is actually a trumpet player).

Kenneth Williams, piano tuner

Kenneth Williams, piano tuner

Williams is a jovial personality who does some of the best impressions I’ve heard outside of Hollywood. He does a great John Wayne, Pearl Bailey and Jimmy Stewart. I asked him how long would he continue to work (he’s been a piano technician and tuner for longer than I’ve been alive).  I’m never going to retire, he said. I’m having too much fun.

Set the Atmosphere

Friday, February 27th, 2009
Kurt Carr

Kurt Carr

 

 

 

 

 

Kurt Carr is a great minister of music.  He worked the stage last week, to the delight of a capacity crowd at the Second Olivet Missionary Baptist Church for the 4th Annual Cora Thomas Gospel Extravaganza. The former Huskie (Carr is a UConn grad) received nothing but love from the audience during a spirit-filled set of music that was powerful, even though he only brought two of his singers along.

I previously saw Carr at the Landmark Theater for the One Church Tour.

Kurt Carr

Kurt Carr

There were many other wonderful performances on the night and I’d like to thank Sis. Cora Thomas for inviting me to cover this event.

Dancing with Music: People as Dancers

Thursday, February 12th, 2009

Garth Fagan Dance

I previewed a performance by the Garth Fagan Dance Company that was held at Syracuse University last night.  Garth Fagan is an award winning choreographer and is known by most for his work with the Lion King on Broadway.

The company is on a tour of New York and did a teaching performance featuring veteran dancers Norwood Pennewell and (founding member) Steve Humphrey, both Bessie Award-winners, as well as some of the newer company members.

GFD gave an excerpt from the following: “Prelude–Discipline is Freedom,” “Talking Drums,” featuring Guy Thorne, “Mix 25: Shackles,” as well as the colorful number “Touring Jubilee,” (complete with costumes from the Roaring 20s) featuring Annique S. Roberts.

I’ve seen GFD in New York and Washington, DC.  They have traveled the world, bringing sophisticated yet athletically funky movement to the masses.

What has always amazed me about the company is that the ladies are as strong as the men, and the men are as graceful as the women when on stage. There’s an equality of talent for sure.

SIF Board member Odetta Norton once trained with this group and B. Efejuku’s wife Valentina retired after a wonderful career as a featured dancer.

In a recent interview I found out that Bill T. Jones was once a student of Garth Fagan.

I look forward to seeing Fagan’s homage to visual artist Romare Bearden.

GFD will perform a complete show tonight at Syracuse University.

A Syracuse Original

Friday, November 14th, 2008

 Marjory Wilkins

Photographer Marjory Wilkins shows us that aging gracefully can become a work of art. She has spent most of her life documenting life here in Syracuse. Her gallery show (curated by historian Nancy Keefe Rhodes) opened last night at Light Work.

The show was attended by family members, friends, artists and members of the photographic community. I spoke with her brother Raymond Werts and he said he and Ms. Wilkins playfully argued over the date of a photo in which he appeared.  Mr. Werts also pointed out that in one of the photographs (cir. 1940s) there were new cars that cost around 400 dollars.

Ms. Wilkins’ work reminds me a lot of the photo-documentation done by Pittsburgh’s Teenie Harris.

We photographers can learn from her vision and her work, but we could learn more from her giving spirit.

A September conversation August would have enjoyed

Tuesday, September 30th, 2008

Syr Stage Discussion

Syracuse Stage Producing Artistic Director Timothy Bond began a series of discussions around the August Wilson play Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, which opened the season. On September 21, I attended a post show forum on the use of the N-word during the play. The forum featured Actor Thomas Jefferson Byrd (standing) along with media personality George Kilpatrick (center) and professor Dr. Adam Banks. Byrd told the crowd of about 50 that he was not offended by the use of the N-word during the play because it was part of the dialogue that showed a true portrait of the world of the featured characters (circa 1920s). Wilson’s work gave those characters, and their world, recognition and worth, Byrd said. Banks added that the word as well as the use of the N-word must be framed within the proper historical and cultural context.

The Legend of Henry C Mercer

Wednesday, May 7th, 2008

Mercer Tiles

We were fortunate to take some interior photographs for a client this Spring. The interior featured a fireplace that was adorned with tile work by Henry Chapman Mercer. Mercer was an archeologist and  very talented artisan.

Totally Trombone

Tuesday, May 6th, 2008

The difference between professionals and non-professionals, according to trombonist and composer Michael Davis, is that even pros sometimes play out of tune, they just don’t stay there. Players  learn to “listen, evaluate and adjust,” he said. These were some of his comments during a clinic he held recently at the Hotel Syracuse’s Imperial Ballroom before his evening performance. His gig closed the season for the Central New York Jazz Arts Foundation Winter/Spring concert series.

Davis, who has worked with the Rolling Stones, Frank Sinatra and rap artist Jay-Z, played with high schoolers Noah Kellman (piano) of MPH, Kevin Mixon, Jr. (drums) of West Genesee High, Chad Lefkowitz (sax) of Horseheads High and Jared Mulcahy (bass) of Skaneateles High during the teach-in, and told them to exaggerate articulation to make their ensemble more effective. Davis said his next stop was Des Monies, Iowa where he was participate in the Band Masters Concert Series.

Gifted Hands

Tuesday, March 4th, 2008

Jason Moran, a jazz artist asks the question: “Can I make you dance, and can I make you throw up at the same time?” Watch him work.