Bill Tiberio Group at The Clarissa Room
On Friday, April 22d, I caught The Bill Tiberio Group at The Clarissa Room in the Cornhill District. Bill played an entire set with another group, the Bill Welch Band, and then launched into a jazz set with his Group, which is made up of the members of the Paradigm Shift Trio. The core members of the Paradigm Shift Trio are guitarist Melvin Henderson and organist Gerry Youngman (doing double duty playing bass with his left hand), who were joined by Jared Schonig on drums. Vocalist Harold Pannell also joined them for a few songs during the first set. Both Henderson and Youngman have incredible chops on their instruments. Beginning with Herbie Hancock’s Canteloupe Island, Bill and the Trio went through some of the material on their new album Promise Street and a few from a previous CD. On alto sax, Bill blew and blew, his tone clear and soulful. As many said during the evening, Bill lips must be made of iron. Based on Bill’s playing, I would say a more supple (yet strong) material. Both sets were great.
The Clarissa Room, at 293 Clarissa Street (formally Shep’s Paradise Lounge, a blues club) is on a street with a history for jazz. In the past, the street was referred to as “Rochester’s Broadway,” including clubs such as the Pythodd Club, the Elk’s Club, and Dan’s Restaurant and Grill (which later became Shep’s). Urban renewal after the riots in 1964 left Clarissa without many of the buildings that these clubs and the many businesses that were located there on the edge of the Corn Hill neighborhood.
The Clarissa Room, owned by John Starr, is meant to be a place where blues and jazz lovers can enjoy live music in a laid-back setting that focuses on the music (for example, for blues music lovers, it is without the “distractions” of the typical roadhouse-style blues club). The small club locates the band up front at the window, playing toward the house, most of which is on a sort of mezzanine level where the bar is located. With pictures of some of the jazz greats that once played on Clarissa St. gracing the wall, The Clarissa Room has about seven tables in a “mezzanine” area (with a few more and some booths located farther back, away from the music), and a few tables down on the level that the band is playing. There is room for dancing, as one of my commenters has noted. Although not “puttin on the ritz” (each drink comes in a different glass, many of which seem to be provided by the club’s alcohol distributors) the club’s sound is good, there is a full bar (although no draft beer and I’m not sure on the bar food front), and the staff is friendly and attentive. There is no cover most nights and the drinks are not pricey.
There was a good crowd on Friday. I hope they keep coming as I think a club with The Clarissa Room’s sense of emphasizing the music is somewhat lacking in Rochester. I hope to see a lot of shows there in the future. Perhaps some after hours during the RIJF?
