Because This is My Blog

I can write what I want, and I don't want to write about music today. There is something different I want to write about today.

Everyone knows that five young ladies from my town, Fairport, NY, were killed in a car accident earlier this week. These were five young women who had just graduated from high school and were poised to start the next chapters of their lives. We just didn't know what those chapters really were going to be.

As a parent of a son who graduated last year, I can imagine that on the Tuesday night after their Thursday graduation, these girls' parents were doing the same things that I was doing a year ago: planning a party, looking at photos, going to their children's friends' parties, preparing lists for Bed, Bath & Beyond for the children's dorm room needs, thinking about how hard it was going to be to let go of that last hug when we dropped them off at school, wondering how we were going to get along without their smiling faces around the house, asking ourselves how the time could have gone this fast, and being proud that our children were about to start new chapters in their lifes' stories.

When I was alone at night last summer, I would reminisce and then cry my eyes out "pre-missing" him long before he even left. But the day we moved him in to his dorm, I held it together like a champ. I didn't cry until I was alone back at home. I couldn't wait for Parents' Weekend (which I'm sure he was dreading!) and Christmas break. I knew I would be seeing him then.

Those parents of those five girls--Bailey, Hannah, Katie, Meredith and Sara--will not be going to Parents' Weekend, will not have them home for Christmas break. They have to deal with the fact that they know they will not be seeing them again. And that breaks my heart.

Every morning since I heard what happened, I think of those parents awakening. I think about how for the first half-second of consciousness, they don't remember that their whole world has changed. Then, I can imagine the feeling of a weight settling on their chests, their hearts aching, the feeling of emptiness. And it breaks my heart.

A friend said tonight that our high school will always be remembered as the school that lost five graduates in one night. I hope that our school, and our town, can be remembered for the love that has poured forth for those five girls we lost. The school community, as well as the town, has been rocked by this. But we are strong; we can get through and, most importantly, we can help the parents get through.

And I believe we have five new angels watching over us who will help us on this path.

Yes, I Took One of Those Quizzes

Because it was on Jack Lavere's MySpace. What Kind of Wine Are You? was the quiz, and like with most of those, there were questions in which I was torn between two answers that equally "defined" me. So, I took it twice, and the answers did not surprise me. Here they are.

You are a Pinot Grigio
Origin: Italy, Oregon, France
Serve With: Mild cheeses, strongly flavoured cheeses, appetizers, dips, shrimp, crab, lobster, clams, mussels, seafood with cream sauces, grilled fish, salmon, pasta with cream or red sauces, poultry, Asian food, pork/veal
Taste Description: Medium to full bodied, neutral aromas

You are a Cabernet Sauvignon
Origin: California, Australia, France
Serve With: Strongly flavoured cheeses, pasta with red sauce, lamb, game, beef, chocolate dessert
Taste Description: Medium to full bodied, blackcurrant flavour

So, not exactly a music post, but fine wine is quite often linked with music, especially jazz so . . .

yours in music (and wine, I guess),
Tracy

We'll Call This One "Hanging With Gene"

Went to the Strathallan last night to see Gene Bertoncini. What an incredible talent! His music was simply beautiful to me. The band who backed him included all heavy hitters as well. Unfortunately, the only name I could hear was Bill Dobbins (who was backing him on piano). Gene wanted to know if he "sounded alright." Alright?! He sounded pretty damned good to everyone in the room--even the people who talked through the show. More on that later. Back to Gene. He hoped that he'd been good enough for Bill. That's, apparently, his level of modesty. He was talking about being nervous for this show he's slated to do in November, how he wasn't practicing enough. Wow. I was, of course, impressed with his talent, but also how down-to-earth he was and how modest. It was cool hanging out with him. He asked about my family, talked about regular stuff, talked with the guys about music, musicianship, past shows, life in general.

We almost didn't stay for that last set because we were tired and the room was so noisy. Gene and the band were set up in the middle of the front wall of the center room--dining room on the left almost completely separated by walls, and the bar on the right. There was an undercurrent of noise coming from the bar, but it was mostly manageable until the roar that happened every so often. I thought they were watching some important sporting event, but the hostess said the roars were most likely due to shot-drinking enthusiasm. It was the people in the room watching Gene--people I assumed were actually there to hear him play--whose talking was so troublesome. Cell Phone Woman on the sofa--Gene shot her a couple of looks, and I think it finally dawned on her to leave the room to continue her call--this after at least 10 minutes of talking (loudly). Stupid? Discourteous? Rude? Clueless? All of the above? Then there was the table of four behind me. 60-somethings, well-dressed, looking fairly educated, but obviously complete idiots when it came to what is acceptable in a social situation in which a performance is being enjoyed by others. The two women blatted loudly and shrilly throughout the whole set, and one of the guys insisted on keeping time by clapping now and again. I did shoot them a couple of withering (I hope) looks, and they would quiet for a moment, but not for good. Gene shot them and Cell Phone Woman a couple of pointed looks, but it did no good. I walked up to him after the last set was over, the band was packed up and gone and he was picking up his stuff. I told him how wonderful he sounded, and how embarrassed I was at all the talking. He was so gracious about it, but we did talk about it afterward and it does bother him. None of us at the table--Gene, Bill Blind, Joe Chiappone, nor I--can understand why people behave in this discourteous way. I noticed fellow bloggers (big-league bloggers, at that) Greg, Ken and Seth there last night--sitting, listening, appreciating, NOT talking. I'm going to have to ask Greg if he notices this at every event he goes to or if the talkers just follow me!

So, for all of you who want to hear some beautiful music, go see Gene Bertoncini tonight at the Strath from 8:30 until 12:30. For those who want a little more rock in their Saturday night, join me at Six Pockets to hear Joe Chiappone, Dave Profetta, Dick Caleri and Ken Kahler (Frontline) at 9:30. Sonic Duality is playing at The Flat Iron Cafe at 9:00--some day I'm going to see those guys. Gene Bertoncini is going to be playing a concert at Nazareth College on Tuesday night. When I have more info, I'll post it.

yours in music,
Tracy

Wait. Do my eyes deceive me?

Is it really Gene Bertoncini playing both this Friday and Saturday nights at the Strathallan? I'm there on Friday. Also, I received a very nice email from a musician who actually reads my blog. Go figure. Anyway, his name is Ben and he has a jazz band called Sonic Duality, and they will be playing this Saturday night at 9:00 at the Flat Iron Cafe. I would love to be able to see him, but I have a previous engagement. Next time, though, for sure. Go out and support this local musician!

'til next time,
Tracy

Did The Fat Lady Sing?

I didn't see one, but I think it's all over all the same.

I did see two ladies sing--Nancy Donnelly and a local favorite, Tina Albright. Neither were fat, but both could sing, that's for sure. I missed a couple other singing ladies: Catherine Russell and Esperanza Spalding, who one friend told me was her all-time favorite RIJF performer! Too bad I missed that.

So, let's see, what can I say in this 2007 RIJF post mortem that isn't being said by many others? I'm not sure that I have anything unique to say about this iteration of the Jazz Fest. Everyone who was there had highs and lows, favorites and disappointments, joys and gripes. The thing about music that is so beautiful is that it is enjoyed subjectively and independently. What I loved, someone else hated and vice versa . . . and that's okay. Props to Mark Iacona and John Nugent for bringing in such a wide variety of talent--there was certainly something for everyone (if you could get in).

The thing that is so beautiful about a festival in Rochester is the number and variety of people who come out and walk the streets enjoying the sights, sounds, smells and tastes. The good news is that the crowd (as I experienced it) was diverse, happy and friendly. The bad news was that people thought that a jazz fest was a good place to bring their toddlers in strollers, double-wides and wagons. When your toes get mowed over, your heels clipped, or you trip over a stroller trying to make your way through the crowds, you really question some people's common sense (or lack thereof). I liked seeing kids who were old enough to enjoy the music, but toddlers on leashes and in huge strollers didn't belong there. Can you say, "BABYSITTER"?

I have to touch on the experience of getting shut out of a show. I do understand that it's first come, first served. However, not everyone can get out of work early (or take vacation) to get to a 4, 5, or 6 o'clock show. And I do think that if we are going to continue to utilize intimate venues, we need to consider adding more venues or adding more shows to each venue. And, if the volunteer staff knows that the venue is full, there should be a policy of telling those still standing in line so they can make a decision to remain and hope that people leave or go get in another line. I wasted time and missed out on seeing other things because I wasn't made aware that the venue (Max) was full. (Twice.)

Additionally, many people I know (who happen to be musicians) had a lot of gripes with the quality of the sound systems in the venues. The Harro East had big problems for the first couple of days, Max of Eastman place is acoustically difficult.

High points. I've mentioned Jonathan Kreisberg before. If he comes back, I'll be getting tickets for that show! Benny Golson, what a gem! He's Jazz History 101 in the flesh. Randy Brecker and his band were amazing, and they were gracious enough to sign our passes after the show. He chatted with my friend and I for quite a few minutes. I was impressed. The Rick Holland/Evan Dobbins Little Big Band was a tremendously talented group of local musicians. I can't wait to see them out again. They could more than hold their own in any city, any jazz fest, any situation. We are so lucky to live in a city with such incredible talent. Right here in Rochester!! Go out and see these people the other 51 weeks out of the year. I should have gone to see the Ilmiliekki Quartet at the church instead of Bonerama. Nothing against the trombone group--they were loud and fun. But I heard, after the fact, how wonderful this quartet was, and when am I ever going to get the chance to see them again? I'd probably have the chance to see Bonerama again before I would them. Too bad. On Friday, with no plan, we ended up seeing Andreas Pettersson after a friend texted us and told us we should. Thank goodness for friends. He ended up being my favorite performer of the whole fest. On Saturday, I saw Bill Frisell. After the first song which was weird and, as my son put it, "kind of hokey," he redeemed himself, and I really ended up enjoying him.

I need to learn how to see/hear more during the fest. Next year, I plan on taking a two vacation hours each day--go in at 10:00 (so I can finally make it to one of those jam sessions--I'm so bummed I missed the one with Pettersson) and get off at 4:00 so I can actually make it into a 6:15 show at Max's and not be shut out. Next year, maybe I'll be tech-savvy enough to podcast or at least moblog a la Greg at Jazz@Rochester whom I finally met after the Frisell show. Greg is cool: I was so glad to finally meet him. And, Greg, I loved your shirt--you were way cool and totally jazz, man. (Of course, that is what I expected from a man with an incredible jazz music blog like Greg has.) http://www.jazzrochester.com/

Well, as a friend and I were discussing, I'm kind of in withdrawal. I miss wandering the streets of Rochester with lots of other people. I miss my cookies at Java's. I miss the music, the commeraderie, the aching feet (well, not really), the feeling of living in a vital and vibrant city, the running into people all over the place and the feeling that I got every night--the feeling of being on vacation. Great music, beautiful weather, fun people--it sure did feel like a vacation to me. I can't wait until next year!

Don't be afraid to comment and let me hear your reflections on this year's RIJF!

yours in music,
Tracy

Still recovering . . .

I'll post a Post-Jazz Fest Wrap Up very soon. I have to organize my thoughts, and right now my brain is tired. There were highs and lows; more highs. I heard some great music and wished I'd gotten the chance to hear more. Strategizing for next year begins now!

Back soon,
Tracy

Rick Holland/Evan Dobbins Little Big Band

There's nothing little about these guys--big sound and big talent. What a great show at Hi Fidelity with a special guest singer Nancy Donnelly. Dean Keller killed on bari--his solo on Nightlights was so beautiful that I had tears, and Evan Dobbins is a monster trombone player. I can't wait to hear these guys again.

A quick peak in at Bonerama--a loud, rollicking, New Orleans party band--I sat way too close to the speakers. Considering that I could still hear them loud and clear in the merchandise tent, I feel I made the right choice to take off and save my hearing. I did like them, but one song was enough for me tonight.

I went back to Hi Fidelity on my way to my car and bought one of Nancy Donnelly's CDs. She was gracious enough to sign it for me. It was a good night at the Jazz Fest.

yours in music,
Tracy

Well, SOMEBODY Got a New Effects Pedal.

That SOMEBODY was John Scofield, and he used it to the hilt. Wow. There was one pretty tune (an actual tune, not a cacophony of organ screeches and weird pedal sounds) that was called Flower Power. That was nice. If the whole concert could have been like that, I would have liked it very much.

I had no idea how great Jean Luc-Ponty and his band would be. They got three standing ovations (okay, a little much, but they were absolutely excellent), and just blew everyone away. All the band members were wonderful, energetic, and innovative players. What a delight!

Dear Mr. Nugent and Mr. Iacona . . .

Can I get my money back for my Club Pass if I can't get into the events I want to after waiting an hour and a half and not being told the venue was full thereby eliminating any chance I might have had to get into a different show at a different venue?

And Mr. Nugent and Mr. Iacona, is there any reason why people like Eldar couldn't play a 6:00, 8:00 and 10:00 show? They only play for an hour anyway, why not add a show? If the venues are not sufficient to hold the number of people who want to see these performers, perhaps you might need to add another show or two.

I was frustrated to the point of tears tonight after the second time I've tried to see an event at Max's and waited in line only to find out after it was too late to go anywhere else that the venue was full. When I walked up tonight to see what was going on, there were people behind me all the way to the corner. When the "staff" told me that it was full, I said, (once again) "You mean we're waiting line for nothing?" And he said, "No, people might leave and then you can get in." Someone else asked, "Do all these people waiting in line know that it's full and they likely won't get in?" And the "staff" nodded yes. I said, "No they don't; I didn't and the people behind me sure don't." That's what's making me the most angry; have the decency to let us know the venue is full so that we can make a decision to go somewhere else while we still might have a chance to get in instead of letting us stand there waiting for nothing.

yours in jazz fest frustration,
Tracy

"The Music Never Ends"

Ah, Benny Golson. lovely words . . .

Okay, Days 2 and 3 of the 2007 RIJF were a mix; and, of course, best laid plans . . . That's one thing about the Jazz Fest, sometimes your plans go awry and it's a bummer; sometimes your plans go awry and it's a blessing! So Saturday night was supposed to be Stephane Wrembel, Ryan Shaw, Los Lonely Boys and Randy Brecker. What it turned out to be was most of Cornelio Tutu (he was good and worth seeing, but nowhere near the level of Jonathan Kresiberg of the night before); one song of the Mambo Kings: a horrific 45 seconds of the Shuffle Demons (yes, I've heard they've got talent, but all I heard was screaming): and an hour-and-a-half wait in line to see Randy Brecker( Randy Brecker Quintet including his wife Ada Rovatti on saxophone, Steve Johns on drums, Steve La Spina on bass, David Kokoski on piano and Brecker on trumpet). That I missed Ryan Shaw was a bummer (especially after hearing a musician tell us how awesome Ryan Shaw's pipes were), BUT missing Randy Brecker would have been a huge mistake. As my friend, (a fiendishly great guitar player, himself) said, "That piano player is off the hook." Brecker was great, but entertainment-wise, Kokoski stole the show.

Would have loved to have joined Greg Bell (Rochester@Jazz) at the Crowne Plaza, but I'd been up and going (I was Maid-of-Honor in a wedding) since 6:00am and practically asleep in the car on the way home.

Day 3 didn't go exactly as planned, either. We were going to see Lalo, but got there too late, so we saw some of Revision. They were entertaining and "had a nice groove" as my friend said. Then we wandered up to Jazz street, availed ourselves of some goodies from Java's and then headed to the Harro East with some trepidation over the reports we'd heard of the sound system problems. But we wanted to see Benny Golson. And I'm so glad we did. The place was packed, and the sound system problems seemed to have been worked out. It's still a cavernous, acoustically challenging venue, but at least last night there were sound guys working the mixing tables and checking things, etc.

Benny Golson was wonderful. He had a story before every song. He opened with words about how music is the one thing that goes on forever. No musician ever stops learning. "The music never ends" is what he said. He also remarked that Hank Jones said that music was like the horizon--it just went on forever. When Golson talked about the first time he met his friend John (when Golson was 16 and John was 18), he was talking about Coltrane. How cool that was. He talked about a time they were ditched from a gig and his wise mother consoled both of them with a hug and some words about how someday, those guys (who ditched them) wouldn't be able to afford to pay Golson and Coltrane to play with them, and those guys would still be playing for $8 a gig. Mama always knows.

There was something about this man--I guess it was that his playing was as sweet and soulful as the best I've heard. Whatever it was, he brought me to tears a couple of times. I'm so glad I got the chance to see him.

Tonight, Eldar, with my son. Heard he was off the hook, too. I'll let you know.

yours in music and sleep deprivation,
Tracy

RIJF Night One

Okay, not a great start. I got down to the Fest in plenty of time to see Mike Manieri and Steps Ahead. I was able to catch a little of Stephane Wrembel as well. As we walked down the street toward the Harro East, we ran into one set of friends. They said, "Oh the sound system at the Harro East was awful and the show wasn't too good." But, everything being subjective, we kept on walking. We met up with another set of friends--a guitarist and a vocalist. They said, "Oh we left early; the sound system at the Harro East just sucked. It was muffled and crackling. We snuck out early."

Hmm. We decided to go with them over to Max at Eastman Place to see Esperanza Spalding instead. So we waited in line and waited in line and moved up slowly to the point where the table was and I could trade my ticket for a pass. Well, they were out of lanyards. What? Get some more. How ridiculous was that? It gets worse. After I signed my pass, the woman said. "Oh, by the way, it's full in there." I said, "What do you mean, the first show hasn't let out yet?" She said, "No, it was empty and now it's full." I said, "So, what you're telling me is that we've stood in this line for nothing?'' She said, "Yeah, I guess so."

So why didn't anyone come out and close the line so we could figure out where to hoof it to next instead of wasting part of our night standing in a line to nowhere?

Well, my Friend had seen Jonathan Kreisberg at the earlier show and was so blown away that he agreed to go back and see the 10:00 show. Luckily, we got in. He was awesome.

But . . . I have a problem with the way things were handled at Max's and a problem with the fact that the Harro East, if they are using it for a Jazz Fest venue, has sound system problems. I heard there was no one at the mixing table. Come on John and Mark, you should have this down to perfection by now.

I have no idea where we're going tonight, but I know that I want to see at least a little bit of Los Lonely Boys and Ryan Shaw. I'll post later.

yours in music,
Tracy

It seems to have worked!

Okay, so by highlighting that web address, copying it, pasting it in the address bar and hitting enter (or clicking "go"), it took me right to my Twitter page. So I guess that means that tomorrow night when I, hopefully, make it to the 10:00pm show of Jonathan Kreisberg Trio at Hi Fidelity, I can post some notes to my Twitter account and you can see them! How high-tech is that?!

So, yeah, I'm in a wedding this weekend--Maid of Honor--so will be working Jazz Fest into non-wedding event times. Tomorrow we have the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner, that's why the first thing I'll be able to see is the 10:00 Kreisberg show. Then on Saturday, the bride (in her infinite wisdom) chose a 10:00am wedding and luncheon reception. Because of that wisdom, I might be able to attend two events Saturday night. I really would like to see Stephane Wrembel at the Big Tent at 6:00pm,. If you see a woman in a periwinkle blue gown with sparkly things in her frou-frou hairdo, that will be me. Then there is Randy Brecker at 10:00 at Kilbourn, and if at all possible, Los Lonely Boys at 9:00 at the East Ave./Chestnut stage. We shall see. I'm sure there'll be a line for Brecker, so that's where I might be (hopefully in jeans by then). And, perhaps, with any luck, I shall be able to post notes to my Twitter account from these shows.

I can't wait!!

Yours in music,
Tracy

Experimenting with some simple remote capabilities!

Remember, I'm Queen of Low-Tech, so everything here is new to me. I have decided to try Twitter since my phone refused to text message the email address I assigned to this blog. So, here is my Twitter link: http://twitter.com/tracykroft which I think you can go to and see my postings via my phone from the Jazz Fest. I'm going to try to access that account. I hope it's simple!

yours in music,
Tracy

Yes, I Know I Haven't Posted.

Okay, here's the quick and dirty on the Fairport Canal Days. I did not get to see the Bowties because there was a torrential downpour. So sad. I did see Gap Mangione's Big Band. Nice. I also had chicken barbecue at the same time. It was a little dry. On Saturday, my son had a car accident--he's fine, thank you--but it through off my schedule just a tad.

However, I did manage to see Footnote later in the afternoon. My daughter came with me. She said they were "melodic." She liked them a lot. She has a good ear and an incredible voice. Footnote is a "smooth-ish" jazz band with plenty of original tunes which I did enjoy. They also covered Steely Dan, David Sanborn, the Doobies and Rippingtons quite nicely. The venue was outdoors in front of a coffee shop right by the railroad tracks. Not the best venue for balance. The lead guitar (Jon Greeno) and the keyboards (Jon Tucker) and the drums (Keith Welch) were loud enough, but the bass (Herb Renke) and the rhythm guitar (Adam Bradley) were on the soft side. They really needed to turn up. Adam had a couple of cool solos, but I could hardly hear him. Once again, it was partly due to the venue. I would really like to see them inside a club with decent acoustics. They were very enjoyable, and I'd go see them again. I do believe they will be at the Jazz Fest. As a matter of fact, on June 10 at the ROBERT MONDAVI CLUB PASS BIG TENT at 6:00 pm. I'll try to get in to see them. They were cool. Websites, anyone? myspace.com/jongreeno, myspace.com/thefootnoteband, myspace.com/tucktranix

On Sunday, I saw the Fairport High School Jazz Alumni Reunion Tour. Okay, it's not really a tour, and some of the kids/guys don't pick up their instruments once between yearly concerts, but you know what? They sounded damned good! Following them was The Bill Tiberio Group. But this incarnation of BTG was a little different than usual. There was Bill, of course, on sax--always incredible, always sweet and soulful. There was Mel on guitar--the usual Mel but with a littl wah-wah going on. He kept me on my toes! Aaron Staebell killed on drums, as usual. But, instead of Gerry Youngman on organ and left-hand bass (he was out-of-town), Bill had Geoff Smith on bass (killer) and Scott Bradley on keys and trumpet (he was great). They could not have played long enough. What an enjoyable way to spend almost an hour on a summer's afternoon. (Their link is on the side.)

I love being surprised. And let me tell you, Mint Jam was a surprise. I had heard they were "good." But they were kids. Who could have known how good they would be? Gabe Condon (15) on lead guitar and vocals; Ray DeSalvo (14) on drums, and Matthew Condon (13) on bass. They covered Cream, Robben Ford, Hendrix, Led Zeppelin and more really, really well. They had their own originals, too, which were also quite good. These kids are going somewhere. Gabe is the total package. He can play. Boy, can he play. He's got the voice (hope it's still good when it's done changing). And he's cute and has stage presence. I will want to see where he is five years from now, ten years from now . . . sonicbids.com/gabecondonandmintjam

So, that's a quick rundown of the music that I heard at Canal Days, 2007.

Oh, and I heard that there was mention tonight on WXXI's broadcast of All Things Considered that I will be podcasting from the Jazz Fest. Well. I don't have a pod. And even if I did, I'm not sure I'd know how to cast. So, I've contacted my "IT Support Team" to see if they can make it happen. I'll keep you informed . . .

yours in music (and in anticipation of the Jazz Fest),
Tracy

Feeling Kind of Fest-ive

Now that it's June 1, I can officially begin my countdown to the Jazz Fest. I'm so excited! In the meantime, however, is Fairport's Canal Days festival with its own contribution to our musical well-being.

I see that Gap Mangione and His Big Band are playing from 6:00 to 9:00 before the fireworks on Friday night. Of course, at 5:30, I will be at Minerva DeLand School in Fairport to see the two jazz ensembles of Fairport High School perform their final concert of the year. These student musicians are among the best I've ever heard, and it's due in large part to their amazing director, Bill Tiberio. Bill pushes them to achieve even more than they think they are capable of; and they enjoy it, as well. It would be worth your while to stop in on your way to the chicken barbeque and Gap.

I'm only going to highlight a few of the groups playing this weekend, but you can view the whole schedule at http://www.fairportcanaldays.com/schedule.php and make your own choices. On Saturday, the Fairport Fire Department Band, always a parade favorite, is performing on the water at 1:00. The Blue Avengers are on at 2:00 at Fairport Junction (does everyone besides me know where this is?); Fred Vine, also at 2:00, is at Packett's Landing. I want to make a special point to see Footnote at 4:30 at Higher Grounds Cafe. They have been kind enough to read my blog and have invited me to come and see them. I'm looking forward to it. On Sunday morning at 11:00, the Fairport High School Alumni Jazz Band will perform--my son's first time as an alum--and they will be followed by The Bill Tiberio Group, jazz at its smoothest and sweetest, at 12:00, both at Packett's Landing. Mint Jam, a group of kids about whom I've heard good stuff (http://www.myspace.com/mintjam) will come after them, and I hope to get the chance to hear them. And, finally, at 3:30 at Packett's Landing, the Bowties will perform. They are a men's a cappella group, formed in 1997 here in Rochester. A delight to hear, they perform a huge variety of music, from doo-wop, jazz, and pop to classical, show tunes, etc. They're pretty cool . . . even though they actually do wear bowties.

Perhaps if I focus on listening to all this great music this year, I can avoid eating all that darned festival food! In addition, I can get a little "music fix" while I await the opening day of RIJF. In my posts next week, I'll offer up the groups I'm planning on seeing and some quick reviews afterward.