Granted, SF is not part of the SoCal arts scene, but despite the title of my blog, I can't ignore some of the great things going on all over California, including NorCal, and my all time favorite, San Francisco. No matter how many years have passed since I lived in SF, it always feels like home when I return for a visit.
The Fillmore Jazz Festival is known as the largest free jazz festival on the West Coast and thousands came out to enjoy the sweet sounds of dozens of bands and musicians performing on three stages along Fillmore Street. While I was there, the Wayne De La Cruz B-3 Organ Band with Pamela Rose (above photo) were performing at one location while TSP: The Song Project (below photo) were on another stage.
When The Song Project took the stage, almost immediately they had the audience in their pocket. They certainly had me. Many festival goers who were walking up and down the boulevard stopped in their tracks to catch more of their sounds. They were fun to watch, really into their music, having a great time on stage, especially trumpet player Mark Rapp and guitarist and vocalist Derek Lee Bronston.
What I like about the band is their willingness to tread non jazz waters to create their signature jazz sound. What other jazz band is performing the White Stipes song, Seven Nation Army? Sure, there's Cole Porter and Miles Davis in their repertoire, but there's also AC/DC, Radiohead, and here's their version of Paul McCartney's "Let Em In" from a performance at Joe's Pub in NYC earlier this year:
Fillmore Street has a rich musical history. Jazz clubs dotted the avenue as far back as World War II. Billie Holliday, Duke Ellington and Count Basie were among the greats who performed on the street. Legend has it that Louis Armstrong checked out Charlie Parker at the Fillmore Street club Jimbo's, which supposedly was the only time they were under the same roof. I don't know if this year's Jazz Festival ranks near that sort of milestone, but it sure was fun.
No comments:
Post a Comment