Remember this is Jazz Appreciation Month. Affectionately know as JAM. This coming week and beyond, there will an abundance of jazz to truly appreciate. From avant-garde to fusion to mainstream, there is much to appreciate!
Highlights
The Dave Schiavone/Joe Brancato Quartet, Saturday, April 8 at Pausa Art House
JazzBuffalo, in association with Pausa Art House, presents the second of the month-long celebration of Jazz Appreciation Month. This year marks the 15th anniversary of Jazz Appreciation Month, founded by the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. And, it is the 15th anniversary of the Dave Schiavone/Joe Brancato Quartet release of their CD, Hidden Treasures. We shine a spotlight on original compositions this Saturday and the quartet will perform music from the highly-acclaimed CD from 2002. See a stellar collective of musicians in Dave Schiavone on sax, Joe Brancato on piano, Bud Fadale on bass, and Peggy Scalzo on drums. Support Jazz Appreciation Month! Here is a track from Hidden Treasures:
Peter Evans Septet, Monday, April 10 at 8:00 pm at Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center
The much-heralded international avant-garde jazz trumpeter makes a stop in Buffalo with his new Septet project. Here is an excerpt about the septet provided by Hallwalls:
"The Peter Evans Septet represents a new chapter in Evans' career as a bandleader and composer. After years of touring with his electro-acoustic Quintet and releasing 3 critically acclaimed recordings with that group, in late 2016 the band expanded to reflect the increasingly multi-dimensional and orchestral direction of Evans' music. Each musician is themselves nearly a full ensemble; many of the band members play acoustic and electronic instruments and contribute impossibly wide timbral palettes. The Septet is 21st-century chamber ensemble dedicated to a broad range of creativity, drawing on densely notated scores, free improvisation, novel combinations of acoustic and electronic sounds, the seamless incorporation of electronic instruments into live improvised textures, and a performance energy channeling both intensity and sincerity. 2017 will see the Septet tour the USA and Europe, performing a new book of compositions from Peter Evans composed specifically for this innovative new ensemble"
The band will include Peter Evans – trumpets, compositions, Mazz Swift – violin, Sam Pluta – live electronics, Ron Stabinsky – piano, synthesizers, Tom Blancarte – bass, Levy Lorenzo percussion, electronics, and Jim Black – drums. For passionate free jazz and avant-garde jazz fans – a must see! Here is a clip from the recent Winter Jazz Festival to give you an idea of the innovative project from Peter Evans:
Why Not?, Thursday, April 6 at 7 pm at Pausa Art House
This makes the highlight due to the focus on the Stanley Cowell and Charles Tolliver team that created Strata-East Records to record the edgy music of the late sixties, early seventies NY loft scene. Music of this critical era, along with the music of Ornette, Mingus, and original compositions will be showcased by a group led by pianist, composer, and arranger Kevin Doyle and includes Tim Clarke on trumpet, Alex McArthur on vocals, Brian DeJesus on bass, and Ravi Padmanabha on drums. A song that edified this era was Clifford Jordan’s tune, Glass Beads Game, from 1974. Check it out:
Jazz In Town
On Friday, from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm, the jazz-fusion group Gruvology, will be playing Happy Hour at the AKG Café as part of the M&T First Fridays at the art gallery.
On Friday, April 7 at 8 pm you can catch the Bobby Militello Quartet for another of their monthly appearance at Pausa Art House
On Friday, April 7 at 10 pm at the Twilight Room catch the vocalist – The Mark Weber Trio
On Sturdy, April 8 at 7 pm see the DMW Jazz Duo at Merge
On Saturday, April 8 at Fiero Restaurant beginning at 8 pm catch the Jon Lehning Quartet with vocalist Alex McArthur
On Sunday, April 9th at 2 pm at the Buffalo History Museum join in on the Sam Noto’s 87th Birthday Celebration. The trumpeter from Buffalo enjoyed an illustrious career performing nationally with the likes of Stan Kenton, Joe Ramano, Don Menza, Mel Lewis, Buddy Rich, and more. The Buffalo Jazztet will perform as part of the birthday celebration. Happy Birthday, Sam Noto!
4th Annual Scott LaFaro Day Celebration In Geneva, NY
The former bass player for the legend Bill Evans is celebrated in Geneva, NY. LoFaro met an untimely death in 1961 from an automobile accident at the age of 25. Scott LaFaro grew up in Geneva and went on to become one of the most influential bassists in the history of jazz in a few short years. Geneva Night Out and the Smith Center for the Arts will present the 4th Annual Scott LaFaro Day Celebration with a concert featuring the Eddie Gomez Trio on Friday, April 7th at 8:00 p.m. at The Smith Opera House in downtown Geneva. This year’s celebration features a trio of internationally renowned jazz musicians. Bassist Eddie Gomez has performed and recorded with jazz giants including Miles Davis, Bill Evans, and Dizzy Gillespie over more than four decades. Drummer Joe LaBarbera, a native of Mount Morris, New York outside of Rochester, is highly prized as a sideman who has worked with Tony Bennet, Bill Evans, and others in addition to studio work in his current home of Los Angeles. Pianist Stefan Karlsson is well-known as an educator in addition to being a much sought-after sideman and solo performer.
Upcoming
On Saturday, April 15th, the Historic Colored Musicians Club will be celebrating its 100th year with a gala at the Hotel Lafayette. The gala will feature special guest jazz artist and saxophonist Bill Beasley and local 533 Jazz Musicians. The gala begins at 5:30 pm and includes dinner and drinks – contribution is $150.
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. The lineup includes May 1 – The B's Bees from Montreal, Canada, May 8 – The Tom Marinaro and Tim Clarke Quintet, and May 15 – The Katy Miner Quintet. Stay tuned for more details!
In April, Hallwalls will have the noted saxophonist Anna Webber's Simple Trio on Sunday, April 23rd.
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.
Robert Glasper, the Blue Note artist of jazz-fusion and contemporary fame, comes to Buffalo State Performing Arts Center on April 20th.
Buffalo's premier gypsy jazz band, The Hot Club of Buffalo, will have a CD release concert celebration on April 21st at the Smith Theatre.
On April 22, The Katy Miner Quintet will be part of an April in Paris-themed dinner and music event at the Roycroft Inn. See and click in poster for more details.
Look for performances in April at Pausa Art House from Greg Millar 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.
April Is Jazz Appreciation Month and International Jazz Day
This 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 concerts in April to celebrate Jazz Appreciation Month. Here's the line-up so far:
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
International Jazz Day
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. The event will also shine a spotlight on Multiple Sclerosis and the upcoming MS Walk. Performers will bring an international focus to this day and will include:
- The Hot Club of Buffalo
- The Buffalo Brass Machine
- The French ConeXion
- My Cousin Tone'
- Pianist Harry Graser
- Jazz vocalist Katy Miner
International model and singer Suzanne Fatta will serve as the event's honorary Master of Ceremonies. Suzanne is a testament to succeeding in life while managing MS, having graced photos in magazines throughout the globe and supporting women causes through her modeling. She will sing a song or two in Portuguese /Italian to add to the international flavor of the event.
Donations will be accepted with all proceeds going to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, in which the annual MS Walk is on the following Saturday, May 6. Come out and support UNITY through jazz and support finding a cure for MS!
Northwest Jazz Festival
If you have not seen the fantastic lineup for the 2017 Northwest Jazz Festival, go here to check it out: 2017 Northwest Jazz Festival Lineup
Keep Jazz Alive!!
