
The late guitarist Chuck Loeb played what became Funkfest at the New York State Fair in 2016.
The late guitarist Chuck Loeb played what became Funkfest at the New York State Fair in 2016.
A Taste of Melodic Imagination from Syracuse in Focus on Vimeo.
Veasley, Loeb & Beasley sounds like the name of a law firm or investment bank, but true fans of the jazz genre recognize that when on stage these names signal a crisply proficient combo. We’ve never been on a smooth jazz cruise before, but the event in Syracuse a few nights ago was just a little bit of water (or a Brian Culbertson sighting) away from the real thing.
Special shout out to Reggie Seigler for producing a great concert for the FunkFest 2k16 (New York State Fair). During the show J.A.M.S., along with Pastor Daren Jaime and People’s A.M.E. Zion, raised over $1100 for victims of a local tragedy.
Pastor Jaime
Gerald Veasley (left) and Walter Beasley jammed at the New York State Fair on Saturday night.
This was a week of returns here in Syracuse: The return of Nuf Said (Jazz in the City); the return football season; the return of Dr. Marc Lamont Hill to speak at SU, but maybe our favorite was the return of bassist Gerald Veasley. Veasley came to throw down for the FunkFest 2k16 (New York State Fair) with a band of musical titans, including Chuck Loeb and Walter Beasley.
Beasley came down from Boston, while Loeb made his way to Syracuse from Spain.
Veasley was last in town for the Northeast Jazz & Wine Festival in Clinton Square in 2013.
Beasley will play the Howard Theater in DC next month, and Loeb played the Low Country Jazz Festival in SC today.