MG3 (aka Gardiner, Dekaney and Gorman) provided the perfect Turkey Day detox at the Sitrus Lounge on Friday evening. CNY Jazz’s Larry Luttinger said he hopes to continue the post Thanksgiving segment annually. Things started slow, but by the end of the first set the festive crowd had grown significantly and seemed to revel in the eclectic mix of standards and original compositions.
Dynamo, with Syracuse’s Nate Felty on drums, gave off a funky aroma at the Dinosaur BBQ this evening. The Nashville-based band’s tour takes them to Oswego and Buffalo next.
Wassa PanAfrika Dance at the Pan African Village
Eddie Brown at Jazz in the City (circa 2011).
Scott Bugs Allen blasting the brass
Scott “Bugs” Allen is a one-man band of sorts. If you include vocals, he played about eight instruments during his evening set at Saturday’s Northeast Jazz & Wine Festival. He may be categorized as a jazz man, but at times his on-stage energy nearly reached Fishbone levels. He goes quickly, but seamlessly from horn to drums to bass, and despite some technical difficulties during the finale, he was able to send soulful shock waves thru Clinton Square with tributes to Prince and Stevie Wonder.
Allen wears many hats(literally had at least three buckets with him), but his sartorial splendor (fuchsia shirt, fuchsia loafers and patterned bow tie) never outshines his wonderful musicianship.
The vibes were the perfect precursor to the upcoming Jazz in the City series (Aug-Sept).
Allen told the crowd that Larry Luttinger and Joe Lee took care of his 3rd Scenario collective so well in 2014 that his return was imminent.
For the sake of our burgeoning music scene, we hope he comes back to the ‘Cuse again. And again. And again.
Bugs banged the drums during a tribute to Stevie Wonder
Allen really got the crowd involved when he did a Prince tribute during his set.
Allen and his wife posed for a photo with WAER FM-88 GM Joe Lee and his wife after the Saturday evening set.
24th Annual Peterboro Civil War Weekend
If there was a prize for best shirt of the day, Formula’s drummer Greg Marek would win it hands down.
The band Formula 5 didn’t play at all like they were anxious. They debuted at the Northeast Jazz & Wine Festival’s Mardi Gras Pavilion on Friday,and judging by the fans reaction, we can look forward to more appearances by this quartet.
Formula 5: Night set at the Mardi Gras Pavillion
NY State’s Michael McDonald