Enjoy some Sunday jazz from the library

A couple of Sundays ago, I got to take photos and videos at the concert by a combo show by two of Central New York’s finest at my library job. Ronnie Leigh on piano and voice and Marcus Curry on guitar earned standing ovations in the Liverpool Public Library’s Carman Community Room. I had to…

Four floors of jazz warms up the winter

From bottom to top, the CNY Jazz plan to keep the genre hopping at Mohegan Manor worked quite well. The Syracuse arts organization uses its winter one-day festival in the big, old brick building in quaint village of Baldwinsville, N.Y., to raise funds and awareness for America’s own brand of music. On the last day…

Joey Alexander has the world at his fingers

Joey Alexander is great, period, the music critic from New York City told the 60 Minutes reporter Anderson Cooper. Not just for a 12-year-old. Indeed, I thought, as my dear wife Karen and I watched this stunning piece Sunday night on CBS, this is a jazz artist that can flat-out play. Cooper did a nice…

Listen and learn with Nancy Kelly

The folks at CNY Jazz are all worked up about this weekend. Nancy Kelly is taking over their cozy downtown Syracuse theater Saturday and Sunday. The popular vocalist will host the organization’s fall Vocal Jazz Jam and Stars of Tomorrow Cabaret. Not only can guests see and hear Kelly’s distinctive voice and style, but they’ll…

A Big Band jump start to the M&T Syracuse Jazz Fest

Into every M&T Syracuse Jazz Fest a little rain must fall. So it seems sometimes in the history of this big party to celebrate good music and hopefully fine times in Central New York. On the first night of the 33rd edition of the summer event on the campus of Onondaga Community College, the precipitation…

Andrew Grau feels the groove in hip-hop and jazz

The Grautet is about to record an album with a bunch of musicians from New York City making the most out of a day booked in a New Jersey studio. The people of upstate New York — Skaneateles and Oneonta, in particular — should take notice. The band leader of the Grautet is bass player…

Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers gets there with folk strings style

Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers, “Almost There” Label: Words and Music Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers starts this dozen-song collection off with “Eight Days in January,” an interesting story in which the Syracuse singer, songwriter and acoustic strings player enlists the help of Rani Arbo on fiddle and harmony vocals. I thought I was off on a trip to…