Photos: Rudy Lu
Day 2 opened with tradition and is the beginning for many in the audience. Day 2 opened with a set by the Skidmore Institute Faculty Allstars with the students of the institute smartly dressed in black t-shirts sitting in the front rows. Alumni from this institute include Jon Batiste, and Trombone Shorty as well as stars in the jazz world.
Todd Coolman led the sextet through selections from the jazz repertoire with emphasis on the golden age of the 50s and 60s on the Discovery Stage. Standards played including “Joy Spring” and “Night In Tunisia” gave a nice background on what was to come for the day. That is where the music was, is now and where it is heading.
The music on the main stage then sprung into action with Terrence Blanchard and his band E Collective. Terrence is known as a trumpeter and as a pianist and is a versatile composer. He is known for his work with films as well as the recording studio and on stage. With a band of virtuosos to play, Blanchard spent a lot of time on the sidelines digging the band like the audience certainly was. The entire Turtle Island String Quartet was part of the ensemble. They were given the spotlight on their composition “Turtle Trajectory”, a glimpse into their neoclassical world. “Wandering Wonder” was featured from his “Flow “ Album from the 90s as well as “Soldiers” from “Breathless” were prominent in the set. Drummer Mark Whitfield Jr, and guitarist Charles Altura Jr. featured prominently in the set.
Back to the Discovery Stage, continuously exploring pianist Helen Sung brought her Plasticity Project to the audience. Her interest in communication and bird calls was highlighted by compositions inspired by birdsong. DJ Logic was the surprise on stage, delivering bird song and other sounds electronically. John Ellis on soprano and flute added another musical interpretation of the same.
Corey Henry and his band brought their gospel enthusiasm and high energy to the main stage. A cover of Stevie Wonder’s “Isn’t She Lovely” was memorable.
The Discovery Stage pleased those with a more traditional ear with Miguel Zenon’s Latin and Caribbean sounds. The well executed arpeggios thrilled saxophone enthusiasts by Zenon as they primarily played music from his suite, Musica De Las Americas.
At the main stage, a much anticipated appearance by Icelandic Chinese singer Laufey was greeted by screaming young fans wearing bows in their hair. A member of Gen. Z, she built her fanbase on TikTok and generates fan excitement not usually seen at jazz shows and usually reserved for pop music. Several fans were seen with tears in their eyes. One threw a teddy bear onto the stage, which Laufey carried around for one song (See photo). Her voice is clear with no vibrato. Lyrics are clearly heard. “While You Were Sleeping” were filled with innocent love and could be easily relatable to her target audience. It will be interesting to see how she will develop as an artist and if her audience will follow.
Oluntaja is led by a couple that was once married and are now friends. Singer Alicia and Michael’s Afrobeat sound charmed the crowd. The excitement of this act certainly prepared me for the excitement of the act to follow on the main stage.
Stanley Clarke is truly a blast from the past and was one of my early jazz heroes. He surfaced in the early 70s as one of the preeminent and versatile bassists of that time playing both acoustic and electric basses. His rapid and percussive style made him a partner with such musicians as Jeff Beck, George Duke, Jean Luc Ponty and even Keith Richards. He was most notably a musical partner with Chick Corea in Return to Forever, He is also known as a movie soundtrack composer. His work appears in Poetic Justice, Passenger 57 and Boyz n the Hood.
Stanley appeared with the N*4Ever Band. A band featuring young musicians. The lineup was Evan Garr on violin, Jeremiah Collier-drums and Colin Cook on guitar.They created their music in a rapid fire series of riffs, counterpoint and unison playing. Much in the Return To Forever/Mahavishnu Orchestra style of the 70s.
Eddie Henderson’s “Galaxy” and George Duke’s “Brazilian Love Affair” represented different concurrent chapters of Clarke’s career. Charlie Mingus’ “Goodbye Pork Pie Hat”, morphed into “School Days”.
The Return to Forever segment showcased “No Mystery”, a melodic almost classical composition that also showcases the musical virtuosity of its players mostly playing acoustic instruments, with Clarke flailing, thumb slapping, picking and bowing both acoustic and electric basses with seeming ease.
It was Stanley Clarke’s 73rd birthday. Old bandmates Lenny White and Al DiMeola walked on stage. You could almost feel Chick was present in spirit.
My nostalgia for Stanley Clarke made me miss Pedrito Martinez’s featured appearance at the Festival. Oh well, I have seen him on numerous occasions. I assure you, he is truly somebody to catch.
After all the high energy of the previous acts, the festival had a low key ending with a set by songstress Norah Jones. With her white piano and large backing band, she led the band and orchestra through her hits. Almost anticlimactic. Until she called Laufey to join her in a duet with her first hit “Come Away With Me” from 2002.
Well there you have it, the ending with old joining with the new.
In some ways, the old organization ended. Freihofer sponsored the festival for 27 years. This was the last Freihofer Festival, but not the last Saratoga Jazz Festival. General Electric Vernova was announced as the new sponsor. The Festival will be here again as the Saratoga Jazz Festival presented by GE Vernova on June 28-29, 2025. Planning has already begun. Hope to see you next year.
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