prime time funk

Sunday night at the Center Stage amphitheatre in Perinton, prime time funk hit the stage and kept the crowd happy. The musicianship of the members of prime time funk has always been exemplary. The originals, Rafael Ortiz, Jimmy Richmond, Dave Cohen and Vince Ercolamento, lead a group of musicians who are tight, professional, and soulfully musical--a pleasure to hear and see! I look forward to their rare public appearances, and they never disappoint. Their own compositions are well-written and well-arranged and a delight to hear. Their covers of Tower of Power, Marvin Gaye, Earth, Wind & Fire and many others are point-on. This is the best big band in Rochester. See them when you can.

yours in music,
Tracy

Where'd He Get This Stuff?

So, I'm sitting here listening to one of the mixes my son made before he went back to college. There's this Hendrix stuff--Bold As Love and two or three others--some I know and some I don't. Where did he hear these, I wonder? It puts me in this mood--I didn't hear alot of Hendrix until I was 18. He's 18. Where did the time go?

There's something about music that can, sometimes, just reach into my chest and squeeze my heart . . . whether it's the notes or the lyrics or the memories evoked . . . music's always been the key to my emotional state. In the lyrics I hear, I don't know, messages? That makes me sound like a freak, but I think it's true of anyone for whom music touches their soul. And in the instrumentation, well, I can be lifted to heights of happiness and dropped to lows of sadness. This is true of most people, I assume. Sometimes, though, the same note in a given song can lift me to happiness or make me cry. Is this just peculiar to me? I think not.

Anyway, back to my son. My heart aches missing him--especially when I listen to these songs that he's picked for his mixes. It is such a personal thing to put music on a disc for yourself and to share with others. You are using music to speak. It puts one in a position of vulnerability close to that of singing for others. Here you are saying, "Yeah, I like this stuff. It speaks for me and to me." I don't know. For me, that's a big thing.

yours in music,
Tracy

This is Important--Credit Greg at Jazz@Rochester

I lifted this right from Greg's most excellent blog, Jazz@Rochester. There was no reason to try to rewrite it because it is perfect as is. It is extremely important to keep 90.1 on the air; it's a great station that we are lucky to have here in Rochester. If you can get out to this event, do it. I'm going to try.

Thanks, Greg.

"Tickets are now on sale for An Evening of Wine and Jazz to benefit local jazz radio station Jazz90.1 takes place on Thursday September 20th from 7 to 10 p.m. at The Memorial Art Gallery in Rochester. The event includes wine tasting from three area wineries, great food, a silent auction, and live jazz from Rochester band DubbleStuff, as well as Bob Sneider, Mike Melito and Phil Flanigan.

Tickets are $25.00 each and can be purchased by calling 585-966-2660, or 585-966-5299. Only a limited number will be sold. Jazz90.1 is one of the last 24/7/365 jazz stations in the country. Although owned by the Greece Central School District, the station must raise all operating funds annually through member and business donations, and fundraisers. For more information, visit www.jazz901.org or call (585) 966-2660."

yours in music,
Tracy

Garden Vibes at George Eastman House

Tonight, Frank DeBlase's band, The White Devils, will open for the Nashville-based Los Straitjackets for this week's Garden Vibes concert at the George Eastman House. Some of the members of the Spiritus Christi Gospel Choir will be backing DeBlase on his last tune, Dead Man's Blues. I'm a little nervous; but I'm sure it will be fun.

The White Devils, as much as I've heard of them, seem to have a rockabilly feel--which I kind of like. I was a big fan of the Stray Cats Back In The Day, and I think they are considered rockabilly. I haven't heard much about Los Straitjackets. I was on their website briefly, and they sound pretty guitar-driven. I love guitar in every genre--rock, jazz, bluegrass, classical, etc. I especially love it when a certain person is playing it. (And you know who you are.)

Anyway, I'm planning on sticking around and listening to them. Perhaps I'll have an interesting post after the night is through. At the very least, I will finally have gotten to see the Ansel Adams exhibit because entrance to the House is free with admission to the concert.

Hope to see you there.
yours in music,
Tracy

I've heard whispers in the wind . . .

that the Clarissa Room is about to open under new management. I got this today from a reliable source. A Kodak chemist with "excellent business acumen" (good, maybe that means he/she can keep it up and running and in the black) has bought the place and is awaiting his liquor license. I hope he likes good music. (And by "good music," I do mean the music that I like, of course!)

You'll know more when I know more.

yours in music,
Tracy

I Haven't Posted in So Long . . .

that I forgot my password. Pathetic. I haven't had the time to see too much music out there this summer, but here's a quick wrap-up of what I have seen.

July 27th, I went with many Perintonites to the Perinton Park Summer Fest celebration. It's mostly for families with small children; but, happily, it offers one of my favorite bands in town, the Bill Welch Band, every year. Bill Welch on vocals, keyboard, and guitar is a soulful musician who leads this band in new directions all the time. They get funkier and funkier with Bill Tiberio playing sax, Gene Rogalski on guitar, Mike Keefe on bass, Fred Welch on drums. This day, Tina Albright took time out from her schedule to join them for a few tunes--always a delight. They indulged me in my two requests--Phat (a jazzy, funky tune that they should get into a recording studio and lay down) and Why Don't You Ask (one of my all-time favorite tunes of any performer, any genre, anywhere).

August 9th, I saw a version of the Bill Tiberio Group at the Corn Hill Gazebo. This variation included Tiberio, Tony Castronova on guitar and vocals, Mike Keefe on bass, and Fred Welch on drums. The group cooked on tunes I've never heard Bill do before. It would have been most enjoyable had I not had to leave and come back twice and then, ultimately, leave early.

August 16th saw me at Nickel Creek at the Harro East Ballroom. I was really psyched about this show because I saw them last year at the Water Street and they were amazing. Apparently, this is their "farewell for now" tour. Sad. They are so young with such a good sound between them--despite the sucky sound system at the Harro East. I was in the balcony and had a hard time understanding any words to tunes that I didn't know. Fiona Apple joined them. She's something else altogether. Nice voice. Strange songs. And dancing . . . did you ever see that episode of Seinfeld in which Elaine dances? Well, let's just say that Elaine and Fiona could be sisters! The one tune she did that I loved was Patsy Cline's "Walkin' After Midnight." It was lovely.

We heard most of the tunes I know including Sarah Watkin's "Anthony" and Thiel's "Set Me Up With One of Your Friends" both of which I consider added bonuses. We left before the end because it was hot and the audience was one of the rudest I've encountered once again. Talk, talk, talking constantly throughout the performance. And the tickets were not cheap, so it kind of pissed me off. Alot. What's wrong with audiences these days? This was not a coffee shop, a bar, a festival--this was a concert. So shut up, already, and listen. That's what I wanted to say; instead, we just left.

I've been giving thought to whether I should keep this blog going or not. I was recently asked where there was live music played around town--i.e. where are the venues? And I almost said, "there freakin' aren't any." But I did keep it together and list a few. But I had to lament the passing of the Clarissa Room, Milestones, the Montage as it used to be, etc. Most of the musician friends I have tell me that the majority of the gigs on their schedules are private parties. Bummer for me. Bummer for all of us.

So, I'm thinking that if I continue to post, I might review CDs that I hear, in addition to live music. I did just receive, finally, Andreas Petterson's CD of Gershwin tunes that he played at the Reformation Lutheran Church at the RIJF this past June. It's a lovely recording--worth the wait. At Greg Bell's suggestion, I recently purchased Bill Frisell's Good Dog, Happy Man but I haven't had time to get into it, yet. I took my son back to college last weekend and listened to some mixes he put together--a very cool and diverse set of tunes that I enjoyed very much. Except the Radiohead--not a big fan. Robert Randolph; Smokey Robinson; Modeski, Martin and Wood; Marvin Gaye, Phish, some French and Spanish musicians, and much more. He's got a great ear; and I'm keeping those discs--sorry, Drew!

That's all for now. Hopefully, it won't be so long before I hear some live music worth posting about.

yours in music,
Tracy