Jazz Festival Live: June 23

11:48 PM

Hiromi and Sonicwonder took the audience to wild, electrified places in her 9:30 p.m. show in Kodak Hall. She opened with the tune “Sonicwonderland,” the title track from her band’s debut album, which I consider an anthem of sorts for her. And then she played her four-part suite, “Out There,” from her latest album, without breaks, which took up the entire rest of the evening. The suite is an auditory journey, from its opening pulsations, to its following hiccups of rhythmic unpredictabilities, developing into spacey swirl of sounds, and closing with whirls of exaltations. And it was just a masterpiece of creative energy. Even though I was familiar with all the material she played, I still needed a moment to sit with what I had heard after the concert. It felt a little like going on a 3D ride at some technically-enhanced amusement park, or being on the inside of an arcade game, and I needed to process the sensory experience. My brain felt like it had been ping-ponged around.

I spoke with Hiromi briefly after the concert, and she remembered us talking about Kodak Hall at the Eastman Theatre, and how she would test the venue out (and the piano, which looked like a Yamaha that was hauled in just for her performance) before settling on a set list. She told me she enjoyed the hall and that it was beautiful. From our preview interview, I had an inkling that in the kind of hall where people are there to listen intently, she would pull out her full suite. She, however, did say that she played a different set entirely in the first concert. If I could do the night over, I would’ve gone to both sets. I’ve been saying that this will be the show of the festival, and despite four more days of music ahead, that prediction seems pretty solid.

9:02 PM

Four saxophones on one stage can sometimes be… a lot. But the four players in Empress together weave tight harmonies that breathe new life into tunes like “Caravan.” The four players each came out in formal black, with white touches, a statement that they were serious. Only leader Pureum Jin, on the alto saxophone, deviated with red shoes, another sharp statement. Jin performed an impressive ballad she arranged with the other three players giving supporting harmony. The group is straight-ahead jazz with utmost precision and creativity. Each player had a distinct personality, from alto saxophonist Erena Terakubo’s smooth stylizations to the fast fingers of baritone player Lauren Sevian.

I otherwise caught a smattering of roots with violinist and vocalist Kathleen Parks, who has just the cutest, high-pitched southern accent. The music was energetic and the Little Theatre audience was into it. It’s not the style I typically gravitate towards, at least not with all the options at the jazz festival, but I enjoyed a taste. I stopped at the Jazz Street Stage to hear the Music Educators’ Big Band, which was doing a slower tune with gorgeous harmonies and emotional swells. They sounded great, and fully entertained the crowd on Jazz Street taking in the wonderful weather.

I’m now awaiting Hiromi. I already heard chatter about her earlier show, which has made me even more excited for this show. See you there. And if not, check back for more reviews.

6:15 PM
I’m in Empress right now and the synergy between the four saxophones is palpable. More on the show later, but definitely worth a stop on your jazz festival journeys tonight.