Mike’s Digital Laboratory

If you are going to the  Rochester International Jazz Festival You’ll see us there. Last night was the first night. It was great as always.  Once agin I’ll mention the only way to do this festival right is to buy a club pass.  With a pass and early arival time it’s easay to catch anywhere from 3-5 acts a night.  Fantastic. And here’s another tip, the festival guide this year does not include a map. So if you’re not familiar with our downtown venues print out the online map so you know where to go.  See you on Jazz street.

Last week saw me back from Boston, smack dab into one of my most most most favorite thangs ever… Our Rochester International Jazz Festival. Last year I blogged day by day. No chance this year. Way too busy… but maybe I can list a few of my favorites:

• Timo Lassy Band
• Cindy Blackman Quartet
• Lou Donaldson Quartet
• Billy’s Band
• Music Music Music
• Catherine Russell

I missed a lot of other great performers, next year I’ll be sure not to schedule a trip to Toronto right in the middle of the week. Doh! what was I thinking.

Last call, this is it Day 9 and hangin in there. Here’s the music we saw Saturday night:

• Jens Winther European Quintet
• Rusted Root
• Soul Rebels (again!)
• Omar Sosa
• Bill Frisell Trio
• Andy Milne’s Dapp Theory

I really liked Jen Whinther and Omar Sosa was very nice. I usually like Rusted Root but the crowd at that stage was just too intense. The only time during the whole festival where I think the street exceeded capacity. Whatever, it was fun anyway. Met lots of friend in the street too.

What a fantastic festival this has been. Biggest and best yet. Can’t wait to order my club passes next year… woo hoo!

Friday night refreshed and back on Jazz street.

• Andreas Petterson
• David Gogo
• Maceo Parker
• Toots & The Maytals
• Soul Rebels

Andrea Petterson was very good, and as you might imagine I spent quite a bit of time at Toots and the Maytals. Yamon. Wrapped up the night with Soul Rebels a nice follow on from Toots.

whew! Too pooped to party. So on the 7th day we rested. Oy. I hear we missed some good stuff. My only regret is not seeing James Moody. More than one of my friends said his show was great.

Wednesday! More Jazz

• Hilario Duran Trio
• Ilmiliekki Quartet
• Bettye LaVette
• Matt Wilson Arts & Crafts
• Christian Scott Band
• Bonerama (again!)
  

Last night Stefanie offered her club pass to my dad . Thanks Stef! Here are the bands I saw:

• Nancy Kelly & Her Trio
• Five Corners Quintet
• Kyle Eastwood Band
• Paradigm Shift & Special Guests Gray Mayfield, Marcus Printup & Wycliffe Gordon
• Ted Michaels Sings Sinatra
• Martin Rickert Quartet
• Bonerama

Well the Fins were the hero’s tonight!. Five Corners Quintet had a full house standing on there feet and going nuts. These guys are just amazing. The Scandinavian series of bands lined up at the Lutheran church this year is just remarkable. I’m speechless.

Kyle Eastwood was very on as well. And damn he looks just like his dad. However the “rock the house down” award has got to go out to Bonerama. Unbelievable. 4 Trombones a sousaphone, drums and guitar. This crew had half the audience jumping out of there seats and dancing. Party time! And they are playing again tonight at the big tent. Run don’t walk to this.

Monday night was just amazing:

• Mamadou Diabate Ensemble
• 4 Brothers 7
• Midaircondo
• Dan Hicks & The Hot Licks
• Robin Eubanks EB3

The award for the most eclectic, far out-space-jazz, jamming, experimental avant-garde femme fatale group is definitely Midaircondo. Complete with video of giant amoebas and out of focus people floating in swimming pools. These two genius beauties decked out in grey dresses, and combat boots occasionally picked up there sax and bass flute in between mad scientist like experimental electronics emanating from a large pile of boxes and wires they shared between them.

The tones of Midaircondo clashed in my brain as I had previously come from probably one of the highlights of the entire festival. Once you see Mamadou nothing else matters. Mamadou’s truly original african music is nothing like you have ever heard. It will heal your mind as it tickles your intellect and reaches wayyyyy down inside your soul and touches you in a musical place you have never been. This I know.

I stayed home with the kids tonight but Stefanie took my club pass and went out with her mom. She just got home, so here’s the midnight report.

• Fred Hersch Trio
• Cornelio Tutu
• Lalo

Stef says the best vibes go out to Lalo, “Ethereal, upbeat, perky, the happiest band I ever saw”.

I forgot to mention Friday night we also stayed out late to go to the open Jam at the Crowne Plaza. Excellent time. John Nugent (the festival producer) showed up to play with the hosts Bob Sneider Trio.  And there we saw Esperanza Spalding in the crowd, but she didn’t sing. (Darn).

Last night’s music (Saturday night) . We arrived later than usual but still managed to pack in a lot of music:

• Ryan Shaw
• Shuffle Demons
• Zanussi 5
• Paul Tillotson Love Trio
• Tiempo Libre

My Favorite, Well shufflle Demons win for the coolest outfits. But the Zanussu 5 just blew me away with trippy nordic space jam sax madness. And whoda thunk vikings could play klez.