In case you missed it…Trombone Shorty nearly blew a hole in the ozone layer above Onondaga Hill.
His marathon performance on Friday at Syracuse Jazz Fest capped off a mini-tribute to New Orleans. If you closed your eyes, you could feel yourself walking along Bourbon Street, and if you listened close, you could almost taste the gumbo cooking in the kitchen.
Fantine Pritoula joined Igor Butman for a songs.
Here are some photos from Day 2 of the Syracuse Jazz Festival. Saturday started with local singer Nick Ziobro (Manlius) and ended with guitar legend B.B. King. In between, we got a chance to check out Raul Midon, the human mix machine and Igor Butman & The Moscow State Jazz Orchestra did a tune up before Igor Butman” their Monday performance at Jazz at Lincoln Center.
Nick Ziobro conducted a post performance interview.
Igor Butman: Muscovite invaded the ‘Cuse with his Orchestra.
Experiencing Raul: Midon worked the piano, guitar and bongos, scatted and sang during his set.
From DJ to BB: Former blues boy from Beale St. now a King for life
On the first day, Frank rested for a minute to sample the New Orleans flavor for the 2014 Syracuse Jazz Fest at OCC
Trombone Shorty: Blow Me Down
Trombone Shorty and his band Orleans Avenue were the perfect crescendo to a night of jazz and swing for the 2014 Syracuse Jazz Fest (Day 1). After seeing the energetic show, we’d describe the former child prodigy from Treme as a combination drum major and sanctified Baptist preacher, accented with a taste of Rahsaan Patterson, Lee Morgan and Fred Wesley.
Shorty (aka Troy Andrews) is a tropical storm of resounding brass that shook the hills at Onondaga Community College.
Brash in Brass
Tambourine Shorty
Asking the band to take it higher
BBVD trumpet player Glen “The Kid” Marhevka: The Sartorialist
Fashion and music seem to go hand-in-hand.
Glen Marhevka said many of his suits he wears are styled from the 1930s and 40s (similar to his band mates), but during the Big Bad Voodoo Daddy set on Friday he wore a hand-me-down (but re-tailored) ensemble from the 1960s. He said his personal tailor is a guy named Javi in Los Angeles.
Marhevka has that certain sprezzatura historically poured onto horn players (think Chet Baker), but don’t let the cool vines fool you, he can flat out blow that horn.
Jazz critic Stanley Crouch visited Onondaga Community College about a decade ago. Crouch’s biography of sax player Charlie Parker (vol 1) is also great history of Kansas City, once called the Paris of the Plains.
Singer Gregory Porter returned to Syracuse last week.
A Gregory Porter concert is a little like the Matrix: We could tell you what it’s like, but you really have to experience it for yourself.
We wrote in a previous post that it’s difficult to classify Porter, but in his vocals one can hear Nat Cole, Ray Charles, Joe Williams and even Donny Hathaway. He effortlessly blends ballads, shout blues and the sacred sounds of the church.
The superstar jazz singer returned to Central New York Friday for the first time since his appearance at the 2012 Syracuse Jazz Festival. Earlier in the day he did a clinic for students and also talked about his life’s story.
But the real treat was the show.
From the time they hit the stage at about 7:30 p.m. Porter and his band (Chip Crawford, Emmanuel Harrold, Aaron James and Yosuke Sato) nearly blew the doors off Storer Auditorium.
Porter kicked things off with the ballad Be Good, and from the first note, a wave of goosebumps washed over the theater. He sprinkled in Liquid Spirit and No Love Dying from his new album, as well as the crowd favorite On My Way to Harlem.
For an encore they poured it on with the bass-driven cut, 1960 What? which featured Aaron James slapping and literally dancing with his upright instrument.
The music created by the band was spicy like Cajun catfish and Porter’s strong, spiritually connected vocals were smooth like banana pudding.
At the end, most people lingered to soak in the experience, and everyone left satisfied.
WAER-FM 88’s Eric Cohen and Jazz Fest Producer Frank Malfitano welcome Gregory Porter to the stage.
WAER FM-88’s Program Director Eric Cohen said it best when he said that for one night, Syracuse became the center of the Jazz Universe.
A great starting five: Crawford, James, Porter, Harrold and Sato
Gregory Porter, the Pied Piper of New School Jazz
Here is the new video for Blue Note Recording Artist Gregory Porter. The song is the title track from his third album (due out next week) titled “Liquid Spirit.” Porter will return to Syracuse as the featured artist for the November Legends of Jazz Series at Onondaga Community College.
Kwame Otieku (left) spoke during the program to celebrate Ghana's 56th year of independence at SUNY OCC this afternoon. Also members of the crowd (right) rushed the stage to dance during the Bernard Woma Ensemble finale.