We have been celebrating April is Jazz Appreciation Month and now enter the final week. And, what a week it will be! A host of fantastic jazz culminates with the International Jazz Day Celebration and extends to May 1st with jazz from Montreal. A great month of appreciating jazz! And, as you will see, we have so much to appreciate with the amount of jazz upcoming in the future!
Highlights
International Jazz Day Celebration Hosted by JazzBuffalo, Sunday, April 30th at Pausa Art House from 1:30 pm to 5:30 pm (Doors Open at 1:00 pm)
April is Jazz Appreciation Month culminates with a celebration of International Jazz Day sponsored globally by the UNESCO organization. JazzBuffalo will be hosting a celebration taking place at Pausa Art House with a focus on the unity jazz creates and how jazz can serve as a platform for advocating for the cause of finding a cure for multiple sclerosis. This FREE event will consist of 4 ensembles and singers. Come out and catch our honorary Master of Ceremonies Suzanne Fatta, Katy Miner, pianist Harry Graser, the French ConeXion, The Hot Club of Buffalo, My Cousin Tone’, and the Buffalo Brass Machine. We will be honoring International Jazz Day with a celebratory international diversity of jazz. And, we will accept in-kind donations for the MS Walk scheduled for May 6 at Canalside. Even a donation of $1 goes a long way. The event is family friendly, free, donations not required, no donation is too small, and it is a day to celebrate international unity – something the world needs plenty of today. More about this event can be read in this JazzBuffalo article: International Jazz Day.
100th Birthday Celebration: Ella Fitzgerald with the Katy Miner Quintet, Thursday, April 27 at 7:00 pm at Pausa Art House
We continue our April is Jazz Appreciation Month celebration with a special birthday bash concert paying homage to Ella Fitzgerald. The Smithsonian National Museum of American History selected Ella Fitzgerald as this year's Jazz Icon to honor as part of their sponsorship of April is Jazz Appreciation Month. Katy Miner, our local jazz vocalist, has recently appeared in Sophisticated Ladies: A Tribute to Duke Ellington at MusicalFare Theater and has been interpreting the Great American songbook through her musical theater experience. Backed by a stellar ensemble, it is a fitting birthday tribute to the grand lady of jazz and the first lady of song – Ella Fitzgerald.
JazzBuffalo (JAM) Presents A Retrospective On Erroll Garner Featuring Doug “Trigger” Gaston, Saturday, April 29 at 8:00 pm at Pausa Art House
One of Buffalo’s finest jazz pianist, Doug “Trigger” Gaston (Frank Foster, Clifford Jordan), will lead a quartet in a retrospective of the legendary and influential pianist, Erroll Garner. This special Jazz Appreciation Month event will focus in on the musicality and stylings of Erroll Garner and, yes, will include a performance of Misty. The quartet will be drawing selections from the widely-acclaimed Ready Take One project released last year consisting of 14 never-before-heard versions of tunes by Erroll Garner. Joining Gaston will be Sabu Adeyola on bass, Abdul-Rahman Qadir on drums, and Tony Zambito on percussion. 2016-2017 has been designated a year of retrospective for Erroll Garner and JazzBuffalo and Pausa Art House are appreciative to be taking part! Here is a clip from Ready Take One:
JazzBuffalo Presents, From Montreal, Canada, B’s Bees With Special Guest Dave Schiavone, Monday, May 1st at 7 pm at Road Less Traveled Productions Theater
JazzBuffalo, in collaboration with Jazz Beyond Borders and Road Less Traveled Productions, will be pleased to present the dynamic hard bop group - B's Bees. The quartet will be performing with special guest and one of the premier saxophonists in our area, Dave Schiavone. The Montreal-based band stops in Buffalo while on a national tour of the US! This special event takes place on Monday, May 1st at 7 pm at the Road Less Traveled Theater on 500 Pearl Street in downtown Buffalo. The group will be on national tour, sponsored by the Canadian Government, including a working session with Delfeayo Marsalis in New Orleans. A member of this group will be Buffalo native bass phenomenon Alec Safy. They will be performing tunes from their much-acclaimed CD – Dark Matter. There will be plenty of free parking due to Monday nights being free of theater events. We are extending International Jazz Day by one day with the Montreal-based group playing to rave reviews. Here is a clip from their CD:
Jazz In Town
On Thursday, April 27 beginning at 9 pm you can catach a trio of bands – The Intrepid Travelers, The TRUTH, and Jon Lehning Music – in the third annual Herbie Hancock Tribute Night at Nietzsche’s in Allentown.
One of Buffalo’s premier jazz-fusion groups, Gruvology, returns to Pausa Art House on Friday, April 28 at 8:00 pm with special guest percussionist Ravi Padmanabha. Since the JazzBuffalo Poll began, this group continues to win the best jazz fusion group category. Performing music from their CD Release, FREEWAY, catch Walter Kemp III, James Bender, Benard Kunz, and David “Teaspoon” Hewlett.
On Sunday, April 30th at 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm, the Buffalo Jazz Collective will be doing an International Jazz Day celebration at the Flying Bison Brewery and feature the All-City High School Jazz Ensemble, the BJC Sextet, Sabu Adeyola and Friends, and the Eleventet ensemble. Admission is $20.
Pappy Martin Legacy Jazz Society Annual Membership Reception
On Friday, April 28 from 5 pm to 7 pm, the Pappy Martin Legacy Jazz Society will be hosting their annual membership reception at Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center. Membership funds ($50 annually) help to fund the Pappy Martin Legacy – Masten Jazz Festival, now entering its 22nd year. There will be food, music, and drinks. JazzBuffalo will be there to report back on the announced 2017 headliners to appear on Sunday, July 23 and Sunday, July 30 this year!
Return To Road Less Traveled Productions Theatre: $5 Monday Jazz
We experimented with Wednesday nights at the Road Less Traveled Productions Theater and discovered issues with parking availability. The venue and sound is outstanding so we are back, starting with the B’s Bees concert mentioned above. After that concert, we begin $5 Monday Night Jazz. We will start with two:
Monday, May 8th at 7 pm – JazzBuffalo presents the TnT Project. A collaboration between trumpeter Tim Clarke and saxophonist Thomas Marinaro. Performing straight-ahead jazz standards and hard bop. The band will also consist of Lisa Housholder Hasselback on piano, Ed Croft on bass, Alec Dube on drums, and sitting in on a few songs, Tony Zambito on percussion. It is sure to be an explosive night of jazz!
Monday, May 15th at 7 pm – JazzBuffalo presents The Katy Miner Quintet featuring vocalist Katy Miner. Katy performs from a vast repertoire of songs selected from the Great American Songbook. She recently appeared in Sophisticated Ladies at MusicalFare Theater in a tribute to Duke Ellington and will have performed a tribute to the 100th Birthday of Ella Fitzgerald. Whether it is Broadway tunes or jazz vocal standards from the Great American Songbook, you are in for an enjoyable evening of song and jazz.
Plenty of free parking on Mondays at the corner of Pearl and Tupper. It is a night off from the theater and no parking attendants. So, come on by and check it out.
Chasing Trane: The John Coltrane Documentary
The Screening Room Café is bringing an important documentary film about the life and music of the influential jazz legend, John Coltrane. Join JazzBuffalo as we provide opening remarks on Friday, May 5th at 7:30 pm for the premiere of the film. There will be four additional showings through May 11th. Here is a trailer for the film:
Upcoming
On May 11th, noted alto saxophonist Brad Leali will visit Buffalo and perform with the Elliot Scozzaro Quintet. Leali had Scozzaro as a student and has a resume including lead alto sax with the Harry Connick, Jr. Band and the Count Basie Orchestra.
The JazzBuffalo and Hollow Bistro First Saturday Jazz Brunch Spring and Summer lineup from May through September are set beginning on May 6 with two of the area's best jazz musicians – the duo of Ralph Fava on guitar and Bud Fadale on bass. Click on the poster to expand and to see the rest of the schedule.
On Thursday, May 4th catch Chicago-based jazz artist Dave Rempis at Hallwalls featuring Dave Rempis – saxophones, Ravi Padmanabha – drums, Brian DeJesus – contrabass, and Steve Baczkowski – saxophones
The second annual Nietzsche's Jazz Fest will be held at Nietzsche's on Allen Street this year from May 10-14. Check their website for more details on the five days.
On Wednesday, May 17 from 8 pm to 10 pm Buffalo gets a visit from the world renowned Pierre Bensuan, considered to be one of the world's most prolific and best acoustic guitarists. Blending musical structures from classical and jazz to create improvisational interpretations. He will be making a stop at the Burchfield Penney Museum as part of his global 40th Anniversary Tour. Visit the Burchfield Penney website for tickets ($18 students/seniors, $22 pre-sale, $26 day of show) or they can be purchased at Music City and Northtown Music.
On Saturday, May 20th at 7:15 there will be a special presentation of the Bobby Watson Quartet at The Sanctuary (360 Genesee Street, Buffalo, NY) in a conversation and concert format. The noted jazz saxophonist and former member of Art Blakely and the Jazz Messengers makes a stop in Buffalo with Curtis Lunday, bass, Winard Harper, drums, and Ben Rosenblum, piano. Tickets are $40 and available at Ananse Ntontan (304 Genesee).
This year's Legends of Jazz Series at Williamsville East High School, scheduled for Wednesday, May 24th at 7:30 pm, will feature jazz violinist Regina Carter with drummer Alvester Garnett. This annual event showcases jazz legends with the jazz ensemble and orchestra of the high school. Click on the poster on how to get tickets for this not to be missed event!
JazzBuffalo Presents International Jazz Artists
As reported last week, The Tierney Sutton Band set for Saturday, June 24th is sold out.
On Sunday, August 13, one of the best gypsy jazz bands internationally will visit Buffalo for a night of gypsy jazz. The Rhythm Future Quartet is rewriting the book on gypsy jazz with innovative compositions and arrangements. Opening the show will be the Hot Club of Buffalo. This show is already half-way reserved so act fast on reserving seats here: RFQ Reserve. Here is a clip of the RFQ on a unique gypsy jazz blues arrangement:
Look for more announcements in the future!
Keep Jazz Alive!
