Jazz@Rochester

With the Karrin Allyson show on April 13th, I finally caught a show at Horizons. Since moving here in 2002, I had seen a number of great jazz singers and other acts come through Horizons at Woodcliff, but had not yet managed to find my way there to see one. Aptly-named, Horizons Lounge is located in the Woodcliff Lodge at 199 Woodcliff Drive, in Fairport (directions), overlooking the Western NY and the Finger Lakes horizons through a wall of windows looking west and south. The stage splits the lounge/bar area from the main dining room at Horizons. While patrons seated in both rooms can hear and see the stage, Karrin and the band were playing for those in the lounge/bar.

There were about 30 people at tables around the lounge side of the stage, and another 30 or so around and at tables surrounding the oval bar. Dianna and I arrived at 6:30 for Karrin’s 7:30 show and there were seats throughout the lounge/bar (and in the dining room). Most of the tables in front of the stage (except those right next to the wall separating it from the stage) are for four. While there was some trouble with the sound at the beginning of the second set, during a samba that was basically ruined by it, the sound otherwise was fine (apart from the aforementioned ambient noise from the bar, which is to be expected when seeing music at a club). Food is available in the lounge/bar area, with lighter fare and sandwiches. Although consistent with luxury hotel restaurant prices, the Lounge menu is lighter on the wallet than in the dining room. There was no cover charge.

Although a bit of a hike (and yet within that 20 minute envelope that so much lays within from downtown Rochester), Horizons at Woodcliff Lodge is a very nice venue to see jazz. Maybe next time we can spring for a room….?