Photos/Writer: Rudy Lu
Autumn is a very special time for us in the Northeast. It is also a season celebrated in the jazz world. The Fall into Jazz Festival was held at Alias Coffee and featured 3 bands that were predominantly musicians from the 518.
Guitarist Justin Henricks opened the festivities with his organ trio that featured Ian MacDonald on organ and Nick Anderson on drums. The band covered material from Kenny Burrell, Chet Baker, Wes Montgomery, Charlie Parker and Thad Jones/Mel Lewis.
Vocalist Jeanine Ouderkirk appeared with her trio, Mugand Rangaswamy on bass Joe Barna drums, and Ian MacDonald substituting for Shaun McCarthy on guitar. Her set varied from Chet Baker’s “Let’s Get Lost, Kugat’s Brazilian “Nightingale, the Beatles’ “Come Together”, Roy Ayers “Searching”, Mongo Santamaria’s “Afro Blue” and a singalong with Sade’s “Smooth Operator”. Autumn was celebrated with “Autumn Leaves” and “Autumn in NY”.
Joe Barna’s Sketches of Influence is a project with musicians rotated in and out. This edition was part of the touring band that took the band south when the pandemic hit. The killer combo featured Malik McLaurine on bass and Fima Chupakhin on piano. Saxophonist Stacey Dillard, part of the touring band but was not present.
Opening with his often played self composition, “The Heights’, the trio blazed into action. Fima Chupakhin playing with such intensity that his body moved back and forth on the piano bench. Malik McLaurine played with equal intensity, his bass and body swaying to the beat and his head swivelling to the movement.
Malik is a rising star on the NY jazz scene frequently appearing @ Small’s. Fima is originally from Ukraine. He was a Fulbright scholar and is a film music composer as well as pianist.
The fearless trio then changed direction by playing Barna’s new composition to honor the season “Autumn Jewel”. Melodic, gentle in nature, Jewel such a contrast to the opener. Justin Henricks sat in on guitar for “Wes is More”. Jeanine Ouderkirk joined in on vocals for the Peggy Lee classic “Black Coffee”. Herbie Hancock’s “Cantaloupe Island”was the final number.
This ended the 3 hour concert.It is also a temporary departure from performing for Joe Barna. He will be reemerging again in spring 2025.
Jazz at Alias Coffee will continue their jazz concerts on September 30th @ 7:30 with local world jazz band Heard opening for the nationally touring Gabriel Alegria Afro Peruvian Sextet.
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