With the advent of spring, we can spring forward to more great jazz. The last full weekend of March will offer plenty of jazz for everyone.
Highlights
The Hot Club of Buffalo, Thursday, March 22 at 7 pm at Pausa Art House
The area’s premier gypsy jazz swing band makes its debut at Pausa Art House. Featuring Josh Assad on vocals and rhythm guitar, E.J. Koeppel on violin, Dean Gionis on lead guitar, and Kevin O’Brien on bass. The band plays in the style of the famous Django Reinhardt, who introduced the European style of gypsy jazz in the 1930’s. They cover the gamut from interpretations of modern pop songs to world music. If you saw them at the JazzBuffalo Sunday Jazz Series a few months back, you know you are in for a treat. Here’s a clip to give you a sense of the gypsy jazz swing:
Walter Kemp 3oh! Live Recording, Saturday, March 25 at 8 pm at Pausa Art House
Since the release of their CD Dark Continent on BluJazz Records, the trios’ CD has received acclaimed reviews and airplay on jazz stations across the country. The trio consists of Walter Kemp III on piano, Rishon Odel Northington on bass, and David “Teaspoon” Hulett on drums. On this evening, they will be doing a live recording of their original material. The band plays a contemporary blend of jazz with a funky edge but there is an undeniable bridge that harkens back to the jazz soul era of the 1960’s. Here is a clip of one my favorites from the Dark Continent CD:
E-Life 7 CD Release, Sunday, March 26 at 6 pm at the Historic Colored Musicians Club
Join the jazz funk group E-Life7, which features Buffalo Music Hall of Fame inductees Mike Pennick on bass and Ron Walker on guitar from The Exoutics. The concert will celebrate the CD release of Miked UP, a compilation of new originals with featured guests. The band will also feature Tim Webb on drums, Rodney Spears on keyboards, and Charles Crymes on keyboards. Here is a promo video (apologize for poor quality upload) of E-Life 7 and upcoming CD Release:
Jazz In Town
On Friday, March 24 at 6:30 pm you can catch Custode & Parisi at the Como Restaurant in Niagara Falls
On Friday, March 24 at 7:30 pm you can take a ride to the Roycroft Inn in East Aurora and you can see the Katy Miner Quintet, which features jazz vocalist Katy Miner
For a bit of jazz and blues, you can catch the Ron Davis Combo with vocalist Susan Kincaid at the Sportsmen Tavern on Saturday, March 25 at 3:30 pm
It was nearly a year ago that JazzBuffalo first introduced Mark Filsinger’s Eleventet band to the audiences of MusicalFare Theatre Premier Cabaret Lounge for two sold-out shows in the spring and fall. They will be back at it for two shows on Saturday, March 25 at 4 pm and 8 pm. Tickets $25 at the box office or online.
Catch the Mark Mazur Quartet with vocalist Lisa Christie on Saturday, March 25 at Fiero Restaurant at 8 pm – $5 cover is donated to the Food Bank of WNY
Weekly and Ongoing Jazz
Beginning in 2017, we will list recurring ongoing jazz on the JazzBuffalo website to help free up space in the weekly Jazz In Town website and email editions. This is the link to the page: Weekly Jazz In Town
Upcoming
For contemporary and smooth jazz fans, you can make plans to see the quartet Fourplay at the Buffalo State Performing Arts Center on Thursday, March 30th at 8 pm. Tickets $37 to $45. Also, note that jazz fusion sensation Robert Glasper will be at the BSPAC on Thursday, Apri 20th. Tickets $37 to $45.
The First Saturday Jazz Brunch at the Hollow Bistro and Brew will feature the French ConneXion Duo on Saturday, April 1st at 11:30 am. Get your reservations in soon.
The first of the 6 Jazz Appreciation Month concerts hosted by JazzBuffalo and Pausa Art House kicks off with The Blue Note 8 on Saturday, April 1st at 8 pm
The first 3 Mondays in May will see a return of jazz to the Road Less Traveled Theater as JazzBuffalo partners with the theater to bring jazz to downtown Buffalo. Stay tuned for more details soon!
The Buffalo Jazz Octet will be performing a CD Release concert on Thursday, April 20th that celebrates their Live at Pausa CD based on a concert held last year.
Look for performances in April at Pausa Art House from Why Not?, Greg Millar Quartet, Bobby Militello Quartet, Star People, the Frontstreet Men, and others.
Drummer Bob Holz and Vision Forward will be making a visit to Buffalo on April 24th as part of their CD Release tour. They will be doing a special tribute to Larry Coryell and Alphonse Mouzon on Monday, April 24th at the Sportsmen Tavern. On this latest CD Visions and Friends, it proved to be the last appearance of Larry Coryell on a CD.
A Taste Of Jazz
Make plans to attend the Taste of Jazz Benefit for the Northwest Jazz Festival, Lewiston, NY scheduled for Sunday, April 2 from 4 pm to 8 pm at the Water Street Landing. Entertainment will be provided by The Jacob Jay Quintet, Carina & The Six String Preacher, and My Cousin Tone'. Food from Lewiston restaurants, 50/50 raffles, gift basket auctions, and a cash bar will be available. Tickets are $20 presale and $25 day of the event. A perfect Sunday afternoon and evening of jazz in support of one of the top jazz festivals in the region!
April Is Jazz Appreciation Month and International Jazz Day
This coming April will be another year of Jazz Appreciation Month and International Jazz Day. JazzBuffalo will be partnering with Pausa Art House to host a series of 5 Saturday concerts and 1 Thursday concert in April to celebrate Jazz Appreciation Month. Look for a musical focus on Blue Note, a CD revival, celebrate Women in Jazz, honoring the legacy of Charles Mingus, celebrating the 100th birthday of Ella Fitzgerald, and an homage to Erroll Garner. Here's the line-up so far:
April 1: The Blue Note 8 – An ensemble that will include Lisa Hasselback, John Hasselback, Jr. Tim Clarke, Dave Schiavone, Bud Fadale, George Kane, Devin Kelly, and Tony Zambito celebrate the music of Blue Note
April 8: Dave Schiavone/Joe Brancato Quartet: The Return of Hidden Treasures – the quartet's highly acclaimed CD
April 15: Women in Jazz - The Ladies First Jazz Combo led by bassist Jennifer May will celebrate Women in Jazz
April 22: The band What Would Mingus Do? will celebrate the birthday of Charles Mingus,
April 27: 100 Years: Celebrating Ella Fitzgerald performed by the Katy Miner Quintet
April 29: A Retrospective on Erroll Garner performed by Doug "Trigger" Gaston with Sabu Adeyola, Abdul-Rahman Qadir, and Tony Zambito
Stay tuned for more details!
Jazz Appreciation Month also ends with International Jazz Day scheduled for Sunday, April 30th. Started in 2012 by UNESCO to coincide with Jazz Appreciation Month, different international cities have hosted what is called Jazz Day. Herbie Hancock has served as the UNESCO Ambassador to Jazz for International Jazz Day. JazzBuffalo, in association with Pausa Art House, will be hosting a free event for International Jazz Day from 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm. So far, The Hot Club of Buffalo, the Buffalo Brass Machine, and My Cousin Tone' will be performing. International model and singer Carmina Suzanne will also be singing a song or two in French/Italian to add to the international flavor of the event. Look for one or two more groups performing. Donations will be accepted with proceeds going to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, in which the annual MS Walk is on the following Saturday, May 6.
The JazzBuffalo Community Is An Open Community
As many of you know, JazzBuffalo was created as part of the Greater Buffalo Jazz Society. Our mission is to build jazz awareness and appreciation in Greater Buffalo by making it possible to create opportunities for venues, musicians, and audiences to experience jazz. We are taking a community approach as opposed to the traditional membership approach. By signing up for the JazzBuffalo email distribution, you will automatically be a part of the community. And, the community will be emailed future opportunities to receive discounts and other generous offerings that enable people to experience jazz. Some of these offerings will be exclusively by email only. Enriching the fabric of the Greater Buffalo Arts and Cultural Scene. If you are reading this online and have not signed up for emails, do so and become part of the JazzBuffalo Community today! Sign up today for the JazzBuffalo emails and automatically become part of the JazzBuffalo Community here: JazzBuffalo Community and Email Sign-Up
Keep Jazz Alive!!
