I had a fantastic Jazz Night Out when I saw Aziza at Lincoln Theatre on Friday the 21st. The first American tour of this newly-formed quartet of international jazz heroes found the band letting loose and stretching out their compositions in front of an appreciative audience. Bassist Dave Holland has stressed in interviews that the band is co-led by all of its members, and that equity was evident, as the music displayed a wide variety of styles, influences, moods and colors and found each musician in the limelight. Guitarist and Benin native Lionel Loueke had likely the clearest impact on the overall sound, as he contributed vocals to a couple tunes and his guitar work lent an Afropop feel to the proceedings. Saxophonist Chris Potter was a force of nature, often playing lengthy, intricate passages on tenor and soprano that were still intimately accessible. Drummer Eric Harland put on a powerful, finely-tuned performance, guiding grooves with finesse but also unleashing some mighty solos. And Holland’s sound was full of warmth, contributing texture and detail to the vibrant evening of music. This was a fitting end to the Wexner Center fall jazz season, and I can’t wait to see who’s coming next!
Shows To See This Week
Friday, October 28th (10pm – 2am): Bob Ross Quartet at Dick’s Den. Cincinnati guitarist Ross has presented a variety of band lineups in his trips to Columbus, and he returns to Dick’s Friday with a quartet of fellow Queen City musicians. Ross will be joined by Dan Barger on saxophone, Matt McCoy on bass, and Sean Herzig on drums. The band will play a mix of standards and Ross’ originals. His new digital release The Bob Ross Quartet Live showcases his nuanced style in action, and is available on iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, and more. Check out some of Cincinnati’s finest in action for a mere $4.
Sunday, October 30th (3 – 6pm): Kerry Price & Friends at the Makoy Center, Hilliard. The Central Ohio Hot Jazz Society (COHJS) remains “dedicated to the enjoyment and propagation of traditional American jazz of the early 20th century,” and the second show of its fall season will be a lively tribute to that tradition. Ann Arbor-based Kerry Price and Friends will be making their Central Ohio debut. Price leads the band on piano and vocals and is joined by: Paul Klinger on cornet and soprano sax, a bandleader in his own right (Easy Street Jazz Band) who has played with Price for 50+ years; Tom Bogardus on clarinet and guitar; Terry Kimura on trombone; Rod McDonald on guitar and banjo; and Bill Bolle on string bass. The band plays a mix of hot jazz styles, including New Orleans straight-ahead, ragtime, and blues, and will surely provide a performance suitable for dancing, listening and enjoying. Tickets are $15 for COHJS members; $10 for COHJS dance club members and college students; and $20 for non-members – but membership is available at the door!
Thursday, November 3rd (10pm – 2am): Al Son Del Iya at Dick’s Den. Drummer Justin Campbell is presenting an octet version of one of the area’s best salsa bands for a special performance. The lineup for the evening will consist of:
Daryll Rosa – Vocals/Percussion
Jason Foster – Piano
Jeff Bass – Bass
Walthino Casanova – Conguero/Percussion
Francis O’neill Matias Gonzalez – Bongos/Percussion
Benjamin Crowder – Trombone
Justin Campbell – Drums/Percussion
Taylor Leonard – Trumpet
Campbell tells me “We will be doing traditional salsa music from many different regions of Latin America, and also putting a good amount of Latin jazz tunes in the mix.” Enjoy festive Latin jazz and salsa played by an all-star group for a $4 cover.
Have a great week! Here is video of many of the musicians featured this week in action: