SJFS 2016 Night 1 recap May 4, 2016
Posted by Mike C. in Internet, Interviews, Jazz, Media, Music, Personal, Photography, Radio, Travel.add a comment
Ten years ago tomorrow, May 5, I met keyboardist Jay Rowe following a Special EFX concert at the since-defunct IMAC (Inter-Media Art Center) in Huntington. A friendship was born. (We posed for a picture that can be seen here.) About seven months later, he invited me to his annual Smooth Jazz for Scholars benefit concert the following April in his hometown of Milford, Connecticut. I agreed to go. Last Friday, I made my tenth annual pilgrimage to Milford for the 14th annual Smooth Jazz for Scholars. This was the fourth year with two shows, and the third in which I went to both shows.
The journey began Friday morning in a cold wind on the platform at the Wantagh LIRR station. I took a westbound train to Penn Station. My next stop was Penn’s Amtrak terminal. I waited an hour, which included a quick nosh at Tim Horton’s, then boarded the Vermonter on track 8E. I was in coach, which resembled the commuter trains I’m used to riding. About 70 minutes later, I exited the train at Bridgeport. My girlfriend Kelly was waiting for me.
I met her on Facebook six years ago. She first discovered me four years before that through this website because of an interview I did with Brian Simpson at WCWP. (You can find that interview here.) She noticed me in the audience at the 2009 SJFS, but didn’t approach me. When we connected on Facebook, I assumed she was a fan of my stint as host of Evening Jazz, a WCWP format at the time. We shared a love of music, both for listening and playing. I’m a piano man, she was a sax woman.
We checked in at Hampton Inn in Milford around 2PM. After a few hours of settling in, we went out to dinner and dessert at Friendly’s. From there, we drove to the site of Smooth Jazz for Scholars: the Parsons Complex Veterans Memorial Auditorium. We were early, so we waited in the parking lot for a half hour.
While we waited, Kelly improvised on her alto saxophone to backing tracks on her MP3 player.
Shortly after 8:00, show #1 began with an introduction by Kevin McCabe:
Next to speak was John Patterson, president and CEO of the Monroe County (Michigan) Convention and Tourism Bureau:
John was promoting another annual jazz event: the River Raisin Jazz Festival.
Then, it was time to showcase Milford music students. First to perform were students from West Shore Middle School, who sang “No Woman, No Cry” by Bob Marley…:
…and “Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran:
From there, it was on to the Foran High School Jazz Ensemble, who performed Herbie Hancock’s “Chameleon”:
The students then gave way to Jay Rowe and his band.
Jay was on keyboards:
Steve Scales played percussion:
Trever Somerville on drums:
…and Dave Anderson on bass:
The stars of night 1 were Matt Marshak on electric guitar:
The aforementioned Brian Simpson, who was briefly on keyboard…:
…but mostly on keytar:
Peter White on acoustic guitar:
Marion Meadows on soprano saxophone:
…and with Jay’s band on seven songs, including the finale, Rohn (“Ron”) Lawrence on electric guitar:
SET LIST
1. Red Hot and Smooth (Jay Rowe)
Originally heard on: Red Hot and Smooth (2006)
Featured musicians: Jay Rowe (keyboards), Rohn Lawrence (electric guitar)
2. Cadillac Kid (Matt Marshak)
Originally heard on: Colors of Me (2012)
Featured musician: Matt Marshak (electric guitar)
3. Teddy P (Matt Marshak)
Originally heard on: Urban Folktales (2011)
Featured musician: Matt Marshak (electric guitar)
4. Just What You Need (Brian Simpson)*
Originally heard on: Just What You Need (2013)
Featured musicians: Brian Simpson (keyboard, keytar), Rohn Lawrence (electric guitar)
5. Saturday Cool (Brian Simpson)*
Originally heard on: It’s All Good (2005)
Featured musicians: Brian Simpson (keytar), Rohn Lawrence (electric guitar)
6. Promenade/Could It Be I’m Falling in Love (The Spinners cover) (Peter White)
Originally heard on: Promenade (1993), Reflections (1994)
Featured musicians: Peter White (acoustic guitar), Marion Meadows (soprano sax)
7. In Rainbows (Peter White)
Originally heard on: Smile (2014)
Featured musicians: Peter White (acoustic guitar), Marion Meadows (soprano sax)
8. What Cha Gonna Do? (Brian Simpson)*
Originally heard on: Above the Clouds (2007)
Featured musicians: Brian Simpson (keyboard, keytar), Rohn Lawrence (electric guitar)
9. Lifestyle (Matt Marshak)
Originally heard on: Lifestyle (2014)
Featured musician: Matt Marshak (electric guitar)
10. Bueno Funk (Peter White)
Originally heard on: Glow (2001)
Featured musicians: Peter White (acoustic guitar), Marion Meadows (soprano sax)
11. Treasures (Marion Meadows)
Originally heard on: In Deep (2002)
Featured musicians: Marion Meadows (soprano sax), Rohn Lawrence (electric guitar)
12. Humanity (Marion Meadows)
Originally heard on: Soul Traveler (2015)
Featured musicians: Marion Meadows (soprano sax), Rohn Lawrence (electric guitar)
13 (Finale). Kiss (Prince cover)
Featured musicians: Everyone
*-Jay was not on stage during this song.
Now for various shots of each musician, starting with Jay Rowe:
Matt Marshak:
Brian Simpson:
Peter White:
Leading the audience on “Could It Be I’m Falling in Love”:
The audience followed:
Marion Meadows:
Rohn Lawrence:
Steve Scales:
Trever Somerville:
Dave Anderson:
Next, two shots, starting with Rohn and Brian:
Rohn and Marion:
Peter and Marion:
The finale: “Kiss”:
The last note:
Night 1 was complete:
Before heading back to the hotel, Kelly and I caught up with Brian Simpson and I spoke with Peter White.
Yellowjackets at Birdland April 25, 2016
Posted by Mike C. in Jazz, Music, Personal, Photography, Travel.add a comment
Three months and two weeks after my previous visit to Birdland Jazz Club, I returned to see the band Yellowjackets perform. As with the Jeff Lorber Fusion, I went to the middle night of Yellowjackets’ five-night engagement, which coincided with the release of their new album, Cohearence.
This was the second time I’ve seen Yellowjackets perform. The first time was also at Birdland on my 25th birthday, which coincided with their 25th anniversary. I posed for a picture after the show with original member Russell Ferrante, whom I had interviewed a month earlier on WCWP. The picture can be found here and the interview here.
Since 2006, original bass player Jimmy Haslip, and drummer Marcus Baylor, left Yellowjackets. Will Kennedy, who was with the band from 1987 to 1999, returned on drums, and Dane Alderson is now on bass.
So, let’s introduce the band:
Russ played piano and keyboard (not always at once):
Bob Mintzer was on tenor saxophone…
…and EWI (electronic wind instrument):
Will Kennedy on drums:
…and Dane Alderson on bass:
All five nights had shows at 8:30 and 11:00. Here was Thursday’s 8:30 set list:
1. Spirit of the West
Originally heard on: Club Nocturne, 1998
2. Inevitable Outcome*
Originally heard on: Cohearence, 2016
3. Monk’s Habit
Originally heard on: Time Squared, 2003
4. Golden State
Originally heard on: Cohearence, 2016
5. Claire’s Song*
Originally heard on: Mirage a Trois, 1983
6. Even Song
Originally heard on: Run for Your Life, 1994
7. An Amber Shade of Blue
Originally heard on: A Rise in the Road, 2013
*-Bob played EWI
Now for various shots of each band member, beginning with Russell Ferrante:
Bob Mintzer on tenor sax:
…and EWI:
Will Kennedy:
Dane Alderson:
Unfortunately, my view of Dane was mostly blocked by Bob, so I could only get this picture and the one earlier in this post.
A pair of wide shots:
The end of “An Amber Shade of Blue”:
After the show, I went to the merchandise desk and bought a copy of Cohearence. I also brought a copy of the Bob Mintzer Big Band’s latest album, Get Up!
I had Russ sign my copy of Cohearence. Even though I’m about 90 pounds thinner than the last time he saw me, he remembered me when I introduced myself. Ten years later, we posed for another picture:
Next, I introduced myself to Bob Mintzer. We chatted briefly as he signed both Get Up! – I told him “Truth Spoken Here” was my favorite track – and Cohearence. Then, we posed for a picture:
Russ and Bob weren’t the only people I spoke to that night. In the audience were my friends keyboardist Bill Heller and guitarist Chieli Minucci. I caught up with them before calling it a night and heading for home. It was a lively and energetic set, especially when it came to Bob and Dane’s call and response on “An Amber Shade of Blue.” I’m already looking forward to next time.
In the meantime, I’ve listened to Cohearence a few times since Thursday night and love it. My favorite track so far is “Inevitable Outcome,” which was part of Thursday’s set.
My 2016 MLB Predictions April 3, 2016
Posted by Mike C. in Baseball, Personal, Sports.add a comment
Previous MLB season predictions: 2015
(12/21/16 UPDATE: Results italicized in parentheses.)
The 2016 Major League Baseball season begins today. That means it’s time for my annual preseason predictions.
NL (National League) East
- Nationals (3) (2)
- Mets (Wild Card 1)
- Phillies (finished 4th)
- Braves (finished 5th)
- Marlins (finished 3rd)
NL Central
- Cardinals (1) (missed playoffs, finished 2nd)
- Cubs (Wild Card 1) (won division, 1 seed)
- Pirates
- Reds (finished 5th)
- Brewers (finished 4th)
NL West
- Giants (2) (Wild Card 2, finished 2nd)
- Dodgers (Wild Card 2) (won division, 3 seed)
- Diamondbacks (finished 4th)
- Padres (finished 5th)
- Rockies (finished 3rd)
AL (American League) East
- Red Sox (2) (3)
- Yankees (Wild Card 1) (missed playoffs, finished 4th)
- Blue Jays (Wild Card 2) (Wild Card 1, finished 2nd)
- Orioles (Wild Card 2, finished 3rd)
- Rays
AL Central
- Royals (1) (missed playoffs, finished 3rd)
- Tigers
- Indians (won division, 2 seed)
- White Sox
- Twins
AL West
- Astros (3) (missed playoffs, finished 3rd)
- Angels (finished 4th)
- Rangers (won division, 1 seed)
- Mariners (finished 2nd)
- Athletics
Playoff predictions:
NL Wild Card Playoff
Cubs defeat Dodgers (Giants defeat Mets)
AL Wild Card Playoff
Blue Jays defeat Yankees (Blue Jays defeat Orioles)
NL Division Series
Cardinals vs. Cubs: Cardinals win 3-0 (Cubs vs. Giants: Cubs win 3-1)
Giants vs. Nationals: Giants win 3-2 (Nationals vs. Dodgers: Dodgers win 3-2)
AL Division Series
Royals vs. Blue Jays: Royals win 3-0 (Rangers vs. Blue Jays: Blue Jays win 3-0)
Red Sox vs. Astros: Red Sox win 3-1 (Indians vs. Red Sox: Indians win 3-0)
NL Championship Series
Cardinals vs. Giants: Cards win 4-2 (Cubs vs. Dodgers: Cubs win 4-2)
AL Championship Series
Royals vs. Red Sox: Royals win 4-1 (Indians vs. Blue Jays: Indians win 4-1)
World Series (AL home field advantage via All-Star Game win) (home field correct; last time decided by All-Star Game; new Collective Bargaining Agreement says team with better record gets home field)
Cardinals vs. Royals: Cardinals win 4-2 (Indians vs. Cubs: Cubs win 4-3)
As you can see, I predict the two teams I don’t like will square off in the World Series for the first time since 1985. But unlike the last time, the team I’ve disliked longer, the Cardinals (since 2006) will prevail. (A classic World Series played out between the Indians and Cubs, both vying to end long championship droughts. The Indians hadn’t won the World Series since 1948; the Cubs hadn’t since 1908. The longer drought was busted as the Cubs prevailed, in spite of blowing a four-run lead in regulation in Game 7, then almost blowing a two-run lead in the bottom of the 10th inning after going ahead in the top of the inning. There was joy in Wrigleyville as, to quote Joe Buck on FOX, “the Cubs…have finally won it all!”. Hallelujah.)
I’m a pessimistic Mets fan, so it’s only fitting that I have them missing the playoffs. I was generous enough to predict second place, but not a Wild Card spot. (They ended up with the first Wild Card spot, but lost late in the game to the Giants. I didn’t watch, but I was disappointed. The fact the Cubs eliminated the Giants in the NLDS eased the disappointment.)
(I’ve decided to give up public preseason predictions for the MLB and NFL. Thanks for reading what I’ve posted.)
Shelly Peiken, Confessions of a Serial Songwriter March 28, 2016
Posted by Mike C. in Audiobooks, Books, Comedy, Football, Music, Personal.add a comment
Posing with Confessions of a Serial Songwriter after I finished reading it
NOTE: This is more of a recounting of my experience leading up to buying the book, and then reading the book, than a review of it. I didn’t want to give too much away.
A few years ago, I added a friend on Facebook via mutual friends. Her name was Shelly Peiken (“PIE-kin”), and she was a native of Freeport, New York. Her mutual friends included my aunts, Randy and Robin, and a few other family friends from Freeport, where I spent much of the first 11 1/2 years of my life. Little did I know that Shelly was an established songwriter, having written “Bitch” for Meredith Brooks and “What a Girl Wants” for Christina Aguilera, among countless others. I mostly listen to instrumentals, having fallen in love with them during the local forecasts on The Weather Channel, but I was as tuned in to mainstream music as the next person.
I first heard – or rather, I saw – “Bitch” sometime in 1997 on a weekly late night NBC show, which aired after Late Night, called Friday Night Videos. Another memory of that song came later that year when my friend Joey sang the chorus as we walked through Splish Splash water park in Riverhead on Labor Day Weekend.
“What a Girl Wants” came to my attention when I was a freshman in college at LIU Post (then C.W. Post). I vividly remember having the bridge to that song in my head during the 1999-2000 NFC Championship Game, as the Buccaneers were driving (unsuccessfully) to regain the lead over the Rams late in the 4th quarter.
I knew Shelly was working on an autobiography, but didn’t know the title, or if it was out, until I noticed a post of hers in my Facebook news feed last Monday. The book is called Confessions of a Serial Songwriter. I headed to Amazon to see the book’s listing (which I linked to in the previous sentence). I contemplated whether or not I should buy it throughout the morning and into the afternoon. I twice watched a video on the listing page where Shelly explained how the book came to be. I didn’t realize until typing this now and searching YouTube that the video was posted over a year and a half ago. For you prospective buyers, here’s the video:
Sold! I bought Confessions… after watching a second time. Since it was Prime eligible, I figured I would have the book by Wednesday, but it didn’t arrive until Friday. Little did I know that my father Bill had also purchased the book. His copy arrived the next day. It sat on the kitchen table, tempting me. Do I dare read his copy before I get mine?
I didn’t succumb to temptation…until Friday morning. I whizzed through 46 pages before putting it back where I found it. By afternoon, my copy had arrived. I read another 19 pages in the afternoon and another 21 pages in the evening. 86 pages in one day! I’ve never read that fast! It helped that I imagined Kevin Pollak narrating the book as I read. He was in my head because I’d been listening to his autobiography on Audible. It’s called How I Slept My Way to the Middle: Secrets and Stories from Stage, Screen, and Interwebs. Plus, I had discovered his long-running chat show, simply titled Kevin Pollak’s Chat Show.
Saturday was another busy reading day. I read 48 pages in the morning, 36 pages in the afternoon, and 16 pages in the evening. Another 98 pages down. Even though it was only 8:06 PM when I completed page 185, I felt tired and went to sleep.
I woke up at sunrise. After watching Kevin Pollak’s interview with Drew Carey, I resumed reading Confessions… I read 42 pages before stopping to craft the first draft of the post you’re reading now. By mid-afternoon, I finished the book! In under 54 hours, I had read all 276 pages, including thank yous, the glossary, the song index, credits, and “about the author.” What an adventure!
There’s more to Shelly than “Bitch” and “What a Girl Wants.” And there’s more to the book than all the songs Shelly wrote. She also goes into the business side of songwriting and the changes it’s undergone in the last 15 years. I highly recommend Confessions of a Serial Songwriter. You won’t be disappointed. Order your copy today.
The rest of winter March 27, 2016
Posted by Mike C. in Personal, Photography, Weather.add a comment
Other than that big blizzard on January 23, it was a relatively quiet winter. Thanks, El Niño.
Now that spring is upon us and the last wet snowflake has melted, let’s look at pictures from three of the last six snow events of the winter.
February 5, nearly a foot of wet snow:
9:05 AM:
10:20 AM:
11:30 AM:
1:31 PM, before shoveling:
2:26 PM, after shoveling:
Unfortunately, the wind shook the wet snow off the trees and bushes, undoing part of the shoveling my sister and I had done.
The last time I had to shovel in the winter was a few days later after an inch of snow fell. Mother nature did the work for me the following Monday night and Tuesday. A few inches of snow that had fallen on President’s Day afternoon was washed away by rain and mild temperatures.
March 4, a coating of wet snow:
9:26 AM:
March 21, two inches of wet snow:
7:42 AM:
All the snow in those two pictures melted away by afternoon. Until late fall…
Guest reading at my old elementary school again March 3, 2016
Posted by Mike C. in Books, Education, Personal, Photography.add a comment
Other guest reading posts: 2015, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2022
It’s the week of Dr. Seuss‘s birthday, which can only mean one thing: Dr. Seuss Spirit Week at Leo F. Giblyn School in Freeport. Tuesday was the only day devoted to guest readers this year, and I was honored to be invited back after the fun I had last year.
I chose My Many Colored Days as my book, which I read to a few classes, but I was coaxed into reading Gerald McBoing Boing again. I did, reprising all the voices I used last year. I also read I Am Not Going to Get Up Today to an after-school class.
Like last year, I ended up fielding many cartoon character voice requests, plus a few Full/Fuller House characters. My throat was sore by day’s end, but it was worth it to entertain the kids.
When I wasn’t reading and doing impressions, I photographed a few other guest readers.
I’m already looking forward to next year. Until then, I’ll leave with this collage of candid shots taken while I read:
Quiet February February 21, 2016
Posted by Mike C. in Personal, Weather.add a comment
Since last month’s blizzard, there hasn’t been any major snowfall here on Long Island. There was 6 to 12 inches of wet snow on February 5, a few inches combined on February 8 and 9, and a couple of inches on February 17, but mild air, sunshine, and rain have done their part to melt away the snowfall. As a result, I haven’t had anything to write about for four weeks.
There’s still a month of winter left and I expect at least one more snowstorm, but no more than a foot of snow. When that storm comes, I’ll write about it here.
January 23 blizzard pictures & video January 25, 2016
Posted by Mike C. in Jazz, Music, News, Personal, Photography, Technology, Video, Weather.add a comment
Last Monday, I hinted at the end of my Lisa Hilton post that there could be significant snowfall by the end of the week. And there was.
Whereas the first major storm of last winter was initially supposed to bring up to three feet of snow, then brought half that, this year’s appeared to be destined for six inches at most. But by Thursday night, the forecast began trending toward the worst case scenario. Strong winds were also in play, which brought the flooding fear to waterfront residents and the downed trees and power outages fear to me, an inland resident.
Luckily, the wind wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. There were a few big gusts in the morning, but that was it.
Below is a photographic timeline of Saturday’s blizzard from eight hours after snow began through a few hours before it ended.
8:11 AM:
9:50 AM:
Every few hours, I shoveled the front porch to keep the snow from piling up. I chose to wait until after snow had ended to shovel the rest of the driveway.
1:18 PM:
4:14 PM:
6:28 PM:
9:26 PM, on my iPhone:
9:31 PM:
I tried to go to sleep around 11:30, but I was too eager to shovel. So, with snow still coming down, albeit lightly, I began to shovel the driveway. I made it to the center, the widest part, before giving up.
According to the National Weather Service, 25.1 inches of snow fell in Wantagh, but I measured a few inches less in my driveway.
When I woke up yesterday morning, at around 10:30 AM, I took some pictures:
Then, it was time to shovel. It took three long hours, with a few short breaks mixed in. But with help from my mom, the task was nearly complete. All that remained, following a shower, was to shovel snow that had been under my dad’s car at the edge of the driveway. That took ten minutes.
These pictures were taken at around 3PM, after that last bit of shoveling:
I usually shovel the sidewalk up to the property line, but there was so much snow that I didn’t bother.
Over the next few days, daytime high temperatures are forecast to be above freezing, perfect for melting. Good.
There are snow showers in the forecast for Thursday night into Friday with little accumulation expected. I hope that forecast stands.
I’ll leave you with the video timeline shot on my Panasonic HC-V770 and iPhone 6 (with an Otterbox Defender case):
Lisa Hilton at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall: 2016 edition January 18, 2016
Posted by Mike C. in Baseball, Jazz, Music, Personal, Photography, Sports, Travel, Weather.add a comment
Previous Lisa Hilton recaps: June 2011, January 2014, January 2015
Later recaps: January 2018, January 2019
The second show I’ve attended in 2016 – the first was the Jeff Lorber Fusion, ten nights earlier – continued an annual tradition: Lisa Hilton at Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall. Yesterday’s performance marked her third year in Weill and I’ve been in the audience every time.
Like last year, I got a ride to the Wantagh LIRR station at around noon. Once there, I bought a round trip off peak ticket and waited for the 12:18 train to Penn Station. The ride wasn’t as quiet as last year in either direction, but I didn’t mind.
When I got to Penn, I took the 1 train to 59th Street-Columbus Circle. I walked two blocks south and one block east to get to Carnegie Hall, taking pictures along the way:
It was a 2:00 show:
My seat was front row center again. I had the row all to myself. You’d think people would buy front row seats if they’re available, but not in this case.
I grabbed a few shots of the stage, and ceiling, before showtime:
Lisa Hilton and the band were fashionably late, starting at 2:03. Lisa played piano with Ben Williams on bass and Rudy Royston on drums. Except where noted by an asterisk*, J.D. Allen and Ingrid Jensen rounded out the band on tenor saxophone and trumpet, respectively.
1/27 UPDATE: Here’s a shot from further back in the audience during the show:
I’m to Ingrid’s left (screen right).
All but the last two songs in the set were from Lisa’s new album, Nocturnal, which comes out this Friday. Copies were on sale in the lobby and I bought one before entering the hall. Here is the set list:
1. Nocturnal (also on Horizons, 2015)
2. A Spark in the Night
3. Whirlwind
4. Seduction (also on Seduction, 1997; Cocktails at Eight, 2000; My Favorite Things, 2005; and The New York Sessions, 2007)
5. Willow Weep for Me (written by Ann Ronell)
Midnight Sonata:
6. Part I: Symphony of Blues
7. Part II: Desire (also on In the Mood for Jazz, 2003)
8. Part III: Midnight Stars
9. Twilight
10. An August Remembered (rewritten from “August 1999,” which was composed for Cocktails at Eight in 2000)
11. The Sky and the Ocean (from Horizons, 2015)
12. Stepping Into Paradise (from Getaway, 2013)
“A Spark in the Night” and “Midnight Stars” had a Latin feel to them. “Midnight Stars,” in particular, sounded like a bullfighter song at one point. “Nocturnal,” “Seduction,” and “Twilight” sounded as good as they did last year. “Whirlwind” was a whirlwind. I loved it. I remember August 1999: Tony Gwynn and Wade Boggs achieved the 3,000th hits of their eventual Hall of Fame careers, I had two weeks of diagnostic vocational evaluation at Abilities, Inc., in Albertson, and I spent an afternoon at Splish Splash water park in Riverhead. I thought of all that as I listened to “An August Remembered.” Unlike on the Nocturnal album version, which was a solo performance, the band accompanied Lisa.
I caught up with Lisa after the show and we posed for this picture:
I was caught off guard when I looked out the window and saw snow falling. And it was accumulating. But the end result was merely a coating. As I type, there may be more significant snowfall at the end of the week.
“See you next year,” I said to Lisa after we said our goodbyes. Year 3 at Carnegie Hall was a success. Thanks to Lisa, Ben, Rudy, J.D., and Ingrid.
The Jeff Lorber Fusion at Birdland January 11, 2016
Posted by Mike C. in Jazz, Music, Personal, Photography, Travel.1 comment so far
My first show of 2016 was the Jeff Lorber Fusion at Birdland Jazz Club. I had last seen Jeff at the Blue Note in June 2014. This was my first time back at Birdland since I saw Yellowjackets on November 17, 2006, my 25th birthday. Coincidentally, Yellowjackets were also celebrating 25 years at the time. I plan on seeing them at Birdland this April.
The Jeff Lorber Fusion were in the middle of a five-night engagement at Birdland when my girlfriend and I went to see them on Thursday night.
Jeff Lorber was on keyboard:
…piano…:
…and both simultaneously:
Jimmy Haslip played bass:
Andy Snitzer was on tenor saxophone:
…but played soprano saxophone on “Chinese Medicinal Herbs” and “Up On This”:
Lionel Cordew rounded out the band on drums:
Each night had shows at 8:30 and 11:00. Here is the set list for Thursday’s 8:30 show:
1. Chinese Medicinal Herbs
Originally heard on: “The Jeff Lorber Fusion,” 1977; “Now is the Time,” 2010
2. He Had a Hat
Originally heard on: “He Had a Hat,” 2007
3. Get Up
Originally heard on: “Step It Up,” 2015
4. Hacienda
Originally heard on: “Hacienda,” 2013
5. Rain Dance
Originally heard on: “Water Sign,” 1979; “Now is the Time,” 2010
6. Montserrat
Originally heard on: “Galaxy,” 2012
7. Up On This
Originally heard on: “Step It Up,” 2015
8. Anthem for a New America/Tune 88
Originally heard on: “He Had a Hat,” 2007/”Water Sign,” 1979; “Flipside,” 2005
Photographically, I figured out how to shoot great pictures in low light without raising the ISO too high. The trick was to shoot in shutter-priority mode rather than aperture-priority mode. Once I found a good shutter speed, 1/30 second, I was ready to go.
With that in mind, here are various shots of each band member, starting with Jeff Lorber:
Jimmy Haslip:
Andy Snitzer on tenor sax:
…and soprano sax:
Lionel Cordew’s “Get Up” drum solo:
A few wide shots:
The end of “Tune 88”:
After my girlfriend chatted with Andy and Jeff. Then, we headed for home. It was another great night of music for us. Thank you, Jeff, Jimmy, Andy, and Lionel.
MikeChimeri.com 