They say a picture is worth a thousand words. When thinking about how to convey the start of the Hotel Henry Summer Jazz Concert Series hosted by JazzBuffalo, this old adage comes to mind. Viewed from a distance and collectively from the Forest Avenue side of the Hotel Henry and the south lawn of Richardson-Olmsted campus, you can imagine a picturesque canvas.
Within the canvas, many things were happening and went right for a surrealistic evening. An evening that surely met the longings of people to be out and hearing live music in the midst of a pandemic. The Hotel Henry and the 100 Acres Kitchens staff superbly designed a socially distanced layout for their patio in which reservations filled quickly. For viewers in the chairs or on their blankets from the public south lawn of the Richardson-Olmsted campus, a station was set for the purchase of foods and drinks.
Mark Percy, JazzBuffalo’s contributing and resident sound professional, created a perfectly balanced mix of sound projection that did not overwhelm the patio attendees yet the music can clearly be heard across the south lawn.
The Savoy Trio led by trumpeter and cornetist, Tim Clarke, also featured George Kane on guitar and Paul Zapalowski on upright bass. Performing a mix of jazz standards, the trio appeared to not have missed a beat despite the three months layoff due to the pandemic. In a rare treat for the audience, Tim Clarke played on the cornet exclusively for the evening. Allowing him to channel his embracing and study of Louis Armstrong as well as New Orleans origins of jazz. It turned out to be an evening of excellence in jazz by three gifted musicians.
Last night was a trial run that proved it can be done within the NYS Phase 4 guidelines. Meaning we will be continuing the Hotel Henry Summer Jazz Concert Series each Friday this summer from 7 p to 9 pm. Next Friday, we will feature the alto saxophonist who finished a tour with the Glenn Miller Orchestra last year, Elliot Scozzaro in a trio setting.
If you wish to sit in the patio area and have a reserved table, you may want to call ahead the Hotel Henry/100 Acres Kitchens to reserve a table. Or, bring blankets and lawn chairs and enjoy from the south lawn.
Thanks to all who attended the first night. And, to the hard-working staff of the Hotel Henry for their partnering in this community-oriented series.
To support this series and other local series JazzBuffalo is presenting, we are making available the ability to contribute to the Keep Local Jazz Alive Fund. The fund will help cover the costs of the free summer outdoor live jazz presented during the COVID-19 pandemic. Please donate a suggested amount of $3-to-$5 per person, if attend and you can, to help us make local live jazz possible. You can contribute via PayPal or Venmo:
PayPal: paypal.me/jazzbuffalo
Venmo: @Jazz249
