Photos/Words: Rudy Lu
Jazz was developed and performed as a musical artform primarily in small clubs before it could be studied in schools. It is a great privilege that we get to do us in the 518. For the second year in a row, drummer/band leader Joe Barna and cafe owner Hernan Lopez have teamed up to present a Winter Jazz Festival in the space to the rear of the cafe. The performance consisted of 3 performances from 3 different bands, Kildeer Trio (based in Oneonta), Shannon Rafferty w/Joe Barna Trio (Albany) and the headliner Joe Frahm Trio (National, NYC based).
Kildeer Trio is a guitar trio. Wyatt Ambrose led the trio through a set of mostly originals. Stylistically they range from the mysterious “Convergence Divergence” to the soul influenced (Soul Tune). Improvisation with close communication between band members was key to this combo’s performance as always. Guitarist Ambrose and bassist Jaegels are both faculty members at Hartwick College. Together with drummer Sebastian Green melded together various musical influences in their varied backgrounds that transcend the boundaries of Oneonta onto stages throughout the US, Europe and Japan and into the realms of film and pop/rock music.
At the other spectrum was the official debut performance of Shannon Rafferty as a jazz vocalist accompanied by a piano jazz trio of Joe Barna- drums, Tarik Shah- bass and Ian MacDonald- piano. The trio opened the set with the bouncy happy standard “Bouncing with Bud” that set the tone. Shannon is better known as an actress, singer in musicals, and a member of the folk trio Hometown Honeys. She easily felt at home singing “The Lady is a Tramp”. Continuing with other standards such as “Speak Low” and “Love to Keep Me Warm”. What made this performance extra special was the accompaniment of the trio. Outstanding was the performance of bassist Tarik Shaw. His resume includes touring and accompanying the late Betty Carter, his sensitivity and melodic tone was masterful and beautiful. His bowing created a low melodic tone that wowed everybody including those on the bandstand. Ian MacDonald showed his chops on the piano, Joe Barna played sensitive soft accompaniment to the songs. The trio closed with a song associated with Bill Evans “Alice in Wonderland”. Tom Avella joined in at one point.
The last performance of the evening was the pianoless trio of Joel Frahm. Frahm is an internationally known saxophonist and educator. We have had him visit the area including other performance venues in Troy and also at the Lake George Jazz Festival. This trio arose out of a workshop in Toronto, then matured during Covid. They recorded their first album in 2019, it was released in 2021. This was Joel’s first performance in the area post Covid.
Drummer Ernesto Cervini is a Juno Award( Canadian Grammy ) and has led his own band featuring Joel.
Dan Loomis is also a Juno winner and has also led his own bands. His band performed at the Albany Riverfront Jazz Fest in 2009.
“Thinking of Benny” was dedicated to jazz great Benny Golson. Great arco bass by Loomis, brushwork by Cervini along with the funky swinging full toned sax of Frahm showed that this band is certainly functioning as one unit.
Dan Loomis’ “Simon Bolivar” was inspirational. A musical interpretation of the political military leader who led revolts and won independence from Spain for many countries in South America.
“Desperate flights” was the title of a timely tune that captured the emotion of the title.
The band’s final tune was “Disco Nerd”. A playful tune that started with a bouncy disco beat that Baby Boomers secretly are nostalgic for and then rapidly evolving into other more complex grooves and rhythms.
The blow out grand finale brought many of the players of the prior bands on the bandstand for one final jam. “Take the Coltrane” was named as the tune, Joel called the key and then counted down. Then the mayhem and imagination of a jam session began. There were many duets and solos, each musician on the stand having a chance to solo. Saxophonist Tom Avella had a big grin on his face, sharing the front end of the bandstand with Joel Frahm. Various TV theme songs popped in and out of the solos, “Barney Miller” was the most easily remembered. So ended the 2nd annual Troy Jazz Festival.
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