Jazz@Rochester

I’ve been trying to get to the blog all week, but have not had much to say. Due to a glitch in my settings, and my otherwise busy life, I didn’t know I was leaving a comment languishing since the 6th (sorry, Annie). What galls me about it is that here I announce a new feature (the CityPaper listings) and then that seems to become the only feature of this blog. I’ll keep trying, though. Maybe some music on Friday night . . . .

The jazz listings over at City Paper are the most complete in the area, listing most of the gigs in the city and quite a few of those out in the towns surrounding Rochester. Thanks to music editor Frank De Blase over at City Paper, I’m going to start gathering them in a weekly posting as soon as possible after they are published. It’s going to make it much easier for me to get them out to you. I still will add those that I come across from other sources, but the time I save by reprinting the City Paper listings, I hope, can be devoted to other pursuits, like letting you all know about other jazz-related sites and sources I run across in my meanderings around the web.
If you’re like me and love all kinds of music, you should check the rest of the listings at City Paper’s This Week in Live Music and the short reviews of upcoming live music in Musical Highlights, like this week’s highlight by Frank of Fred Costello’s Friday night gig at The Clarissa Room. Thanks, Frank.

Sorry about my absence since the 17th. In addition to the holiday rush, my free host, Blogsome, seemed to be having more than its share of hiccups during the past few weeks. I was finally able to get onto their forum last night and got some information on what’s up. It seems that there should be a fix in soon. However, it reminded me that it may be time for me to move putting this blog and perhaps some others on another host. If any of you have any ideas on that, send me and email or leave a comment. However, the hiccups made it impossible to get this weekend’s stuff into the blog for those that care (all 2 or 3 of you….

Hope you and yours have a happy holiday!!!

Urban Grooves Music, a Rochester based entertainment group founded by Marcus Robinson, is attempting to “bring good people together to enjoy only the best in regional Funk, Soul, Jazz, and Reggae music.” While not necessarily succeeding in numbers, the group’s Urban Grooves Jam Fest on Saturday at the German House did succeed in bringing a diverse group of people together to hear great music by a local artists ranging from the straightahead of Bill Tiberio Group, to the great Latin jazz of the Mambo Kings, to the funky sounds of Jimmy Highsmith and Marcus Robinson’s own Thornwood, to the reggae of Mountain Mojo Authority, and capped off by the drumming circles and world music sounds of Buddahood. The whole thing kicked off around 4pm and, and ended sometime after the Budda’s (there was supposed to be a jam session extending to 1am or so, but I don’t know whether that happened or not).
Unfortunately, Dianna and I didn’t have the stamina to catch the whole thing, leaving after Thornwood left the stage (not because of the change to a more rock-oriented sound, as I love both reggae and Buddahood’s eclectic mix), but we had a great time listening to some of the best jazz musicians in the Rochester area in a larger venue, the German House with some decent sound (although there were some limited issues with the sound). I (and I expect Marcus Robinson) really wish there had been a bigger turnout for this event. On a positive note, what impressed upon me was Urban Groove’s explicit goal to bring diverse communities together through the medium of music. On that front, it was quite successful, if limited in number. Keep trying Marcus (and it appears he has another scheduled for April 2006)! Urban Grooves also sponsors the “Urban Grooves Cafe” series, which used to be over at Water Street, but based on their website may be moving to a new location.

After posting the gig on this blog, my wife and I took up Jimmie Highsmith Jr. on his invite and went to see him and the band play Saturday evening at P.I.’s Lounge, 499 West Ave. in the 19th Ward. Located next to the Southern food mecca Unkl Moe’s, P.I.’s is a neighborhood bar with a good-sized dance floor and bandstand. On Saturday night it was full of love, with Jimmie and the band (and a few additional members from the last time we saw them) laying down the groove for a friend’s birthday celebration. We had a great time—Dianna and I met Jimmie and got to hear the band again. In addition, the “birthday boy” (and the rest of us lucky devils in the bar) were treated to a “Saturday night” version of “Dr. Feelgood,” which left little to the imagination and was delivered using more of a “Sunday goin’ to church” voice. Thanks Jimmie.

As I told Jimmie Saturday, I’m willing to post items sent in by jazz groups and musicians for upcoming gigs, especially those that might not be getting much exposure in the press and other venues I’ve mentioned as forming usual sources for the listings I post. I’m interested in gigs throughout all of the communities in Rochester and its environs, especially those that are not always, shall we say, well-represented in the local press. I can’t become a posting service for any particular band or venue, but I can give some exposure where the venues they’re playing won’t or can’t advertise. In the interest of full disclosure, I can assure you that it will not being read by thousands now. However, there is a slow growth in the number of people taking a look at Jazz@Rochester and coming back (not just stumbling onto it, although there are a few of those), so it can’t hurt. Just hit the email link and let me know (plus give me some lead time).