Rochester’s Victrola Voilà brings the irresistible swing of 1930s Paris to Ellicott Street—and another opportunity to discover an outstanding regional jazz ensemble.
One of the things we believe a jazz festival should do is introduce you to someone you may not already know.
We saw that happen throughout the Lewiston Jazz Festival this past weekend. People wandered from stage to stage, stopped when something caught their ear, and discovered musicians they hadn’t necessarily come to hear. We want that same spirit of discovery to be part of the Buffalo Jazz Festival.
Victrola Voilà is a perfect example.
Coming to us from Rochester, Victrola Voilà brings to life the infectious sound of Django Reinhardt, Parisian swing, hot club jazz, and the music of the 1930s and ’40s. Led by guitarist Melanie Moralez, the ensemble draws upon a musical tradition that has been making people smile, tap their feet, and dance for generations. Melanie will be joined by Ben Turiano on upright bass and Karl Brugger on rhythm guitar and vocals.
Music That Makes You Want to Move
There’s something immediately inviting about this music. The rhythmic guitars, swinging melodies, and unmistakable sound associated with Django Reinhardt and the Hot Club tradition can transport you to another place and time. But in the hands of musicians who truly understand it, the music doesn’t feel like a museum piece. It feels alive.
Victrola Voilà’s repertoire reaches beyond Django to vintage jazz standards, French musettes, old-time blues, and other music rooted in the swing era. It’s joyful music. Social music. The kind of music that makes you tap your foot, smile at the person next to you, and perhaps even get up and dance.
That makes it particularly well suited for what we’re creating on Ellicott Street.
Sometimes Discovery Is Just an Hour Away
There’s another reason we’re excited to welcome Victrola Voilà to Buffalo.
We have extraordinary jazz talent throughout Western and Upstate New York, and one of the opportunities we have with the Buffalo Jazz Festival is to bring more of those musicians and audiences together.
We don’t always have to look toward New York City or other major jazz centers to discover something new. Sometimes discovery is happening just an hour down the road.
Victrola Voilà is part of Rochester’s vibrant jazz community, and bringing the trio to Buffalo gives our audience an opportunity to experience musicians they might otherwise have to travel to Rochester to hear.
That’s something worth celebrating—and something we’d like to see more of.
Come Early. Discover Something.
That’s our invitation for Sunday.
Don’t wait for the artist whose name you already recognize. Come early. Bring your chair. Find a place on Ellicott Street. Get something to eat or drink. Meet some friends. And give yourself the opportunity to hear someone you haven’t experienced before.
You may arrive not knowing Victrola Voilà.
You may leave wondering when you can hear them again.
That’s discovery. And that’s one of the things a jazz festival should be about.
Victrola Voilà Trio
5th Annual Buffalo Jazz Festival
Sunday, September 6
Ellicott Street | Downtown Buffalo
FREE
Come for someone you know. Discover someone you don’t.
