Friday, June 22 Bios CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8
out-of-town musicians head back to the Rochester Plaza Hotel. But they don’t go to their rooms. Lured by the sound of a worldclass combo, many head for the State Street Bar & Grill where the Bob Sneider Trio holds down the after-hours jam session. Sneider is a monster guitarist who has superb support from Mike Melito (drums) and Phil Flanigan (bass). And, while the evening might start with student players joining them on stage, the kids step aside for the heavyweights as the session progresses. Wynton Marsalis, George Benson, Chris Potter, Eric Alexander, and too many more jazz stars to mention have sat in with the band. (RN) myspace.com/ bobsneidermusic John LaBarbera Big Band [ JAZZ ] John LaBarbera began playing cornet at the age of 5. By 7 he was joining his parents and brothers Pat and Joe in the family’s band. Fast forward a decade and a half and LaBarbera was playing trumpet in the Buddy Rich Orchestra, where he also began his career in composing and arranging. His works have been recorded and performed by the bands of Woody Herman, Count Basie, Dizzy Gillespie, Sammy Davis Jr., Mel Tormé, and even soul star Chaka Khan. His 2004 album “On The Wild Side” was nominated for a Grammy Award. johnlabarbera.com Karrin Allyson [ JAZZ ] Of the many jazz singers who have emerged over the last two decades, one of the most engaging and original is Karrin Allyson. Since 1992 she has recorded more than a dozen albums, covering everything from jazz standards to pop tunes by Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell, Elton John, and Carole King. But that’s just the beginning. On one extraordinary release, “From Paris to Rio,” she beautifully interpreted a collection of French and Portuguese tunes in the original languages. On another, “Ballads,” she gorgeously re-crafted the more gentle side of John Coltrane’s oeuvre. (RN) karrin.com L’Orkestre Des Pas Perdus [ BRASS BAND ] L’Orkestre Des Pas Perdus 10 CITY • JAZZ FESTIVAL GUIDE 2012
(translated: The Lost Steps Orkestra) had me at the cover art of its Juno-nominated latest album, “The Brass Age.” The image is a cross-section of a human head with a tuba superimposed over it. The high-energy brass band combines trombone, trumpet, French horn, saxophones, drums, and the aforementioned tuba, to create a sound that shifts between styles. It’s New Orleans funk one second, slower swing tunes the next, all while retaining that full, engaging, powerful, brass-ensemble sound. It’s good fun and a sonic blast, and whoever said you needed string instruments in an orchestra? (WC) oppmusik.com Lucio Ferrara [ JAZZ ] Born in the Puglia region of Italy, Lucio Ferrara began playing the clarinet at the age of 10. It wasn’t long before he switched to the guitar. After he won Bologna’s top music competition, Ferrara’s career took off. At first he concentrated on Brazilian music, but after attending a few of pianist Barry Harris’s famous seminars in New York, he became more interested in jazz improvisation. Since then he’s honed his post-bop guitar style in collaborations with top players like Lee Konitz, Benny Golson Joey DeFrancesco, and Lew Tabackin. (RN) lucioferrara.com Rosie Flores [ ROCKABILLY ] The sounds of artists like Buddy Holly, Elvis Presley, and The Everly Brothers initially got rockabilly filly Rosie Flores all shook her up, and by age 16 Flores was in her first band, the psychedelic all-girl Penelope’s Children. By the early 80’s she was slinging and singing in the punk-rockabilly outfit The Screamin’ Sirens. After that Flores went solo, writing her own stuff and covering classics from heroes like Wanda Jackson and Janis Martin. Her diminutive stature and sweet voice are in direct contrast to her wicked guitar prowess. (FD) rosieflores.com Tessa Souter [ JAZZ ] With her ethereal voice and stunning original tunes, Tessa Souter charmed every audience member in packed concerts at two previous RIJFs. Born in London, Souter had a flourishing career going as a journalist. In the 1990’s, at the urging of a friend, she began to sing
at open-mic nights in clubs. After studying with legendary vocalist Mark Murphy, Souter was ready to switch from journalism to a different, more tuneful and emotional form of storytelling: Rosie Flores PHOTO PROVIDED jazz. Recently back from a successful tour of large opera houses in Russia, Souter has just released a daring album featuring her lyrics set to great classical works played jazz-style. She pulls it off beautifully. (RN) tessasouter.com The Uptown Groove [ Jazz ] Rochester five-piece The Uptown Groove isn’t afraid to mix things up. Instrumental jazz songs blend with rock ballads, Motown tunes, a little R&B, and pretty much everything in between. Michael Jackson’s “Billy Jean,” Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition,” Grover Washington’s “Just the Two of Us,” and James Brown’s “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag” all have a home on the Groove’s wideranging repertoire list. If you haven’t already seen them gigging around town, now’s your chance. (WC) theuptowngroove.com Yggdrasil featuring Eivor [ WORLD ] Yggdrasil founder Kristian Blak was born in Denmark but he has spent most of the last two decades in the Faroe Islands (in the North Atlantic between Iceland and Norway). That’s where he assembled Yggdrasil, a band with a name from Norse mythology, based on the idea of a “world tree.” When the group appeared at a previous RIJF, audiences loved its ethereal sound. This year Yggdrasil will be enhanced by Faroe Islands singer Eivør, whose haunting vocal style falls somewhere between that of Melanie and Kate Bush. (RN) eivor.sweetgiggles.net, yggdrasil-sweden.com