Randy Weston & Jason Moran @ Tri-C JazzFest

[LWayne]

Last month my wife and I decided to make a pilgrimage to Cleveland Ohio to attend the Tri-C JazzFest. Although we live close by in Pittsburgh, we had never attended this festival because it always conflicted with the dates of JazzFest in New Orleans.

Needless to say we were very impressed by this festival. Over the last couple of years, the organizers have managed to book an impressive array of national acts. When we decided not to travel to New Orleans this year due to the lack of jazz at their JazzFest, Tri-C became a welcome option.

We decided to take advantage of the educational opportunities promoted at Tri-C Jazz Fest and attended the free Randy Weston discussion on Moroccan music at the State Theater at Public Square in downtown Cleveland. Weston proved to be an animated ambassador of African music, introducing Gnawa master Abdellah El Gourd on hag’houge. This instrument is like a lute that produces a droning, otherworldly, sound.

Later that night Randy Weston and his African Rhythms Quintet (Weston-Piano, T.K. Blue-Sax, Benny Powell-Trombone, Alex Blake-Bass, and Neil Clarke-Percussion) performed with the Gnawa Master Musicians of Morocco before a packed house at Cuyahoga Community College. The program combined both groups in a transcendent evening. The highlights of the show were the ensemble pieces. While Weston refrained from playing during the song “Chalabati”, which was punctuated by keening vocals and rhythmic hand claps by the Gnawa Master Musicians of Morocco, he called his African Rhythms Quintet to the stage one by one to compliment the swirling sound.

The next night was quite a contrast with Jason Moran and the Bandwagon at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA). The backdrop was perfect for the dense, challenging, stimulating music played by the trio. Many of the songs were culled from his recent “Same Mother” album along with the unveiling of various commission pieces that will form the basis for his forthcoming album. The highlight of the evening was an adaptation of the song “Kinda Dukish” with other snippets of Ellington accenting the composition.

We were very impressed by both the depth and selection of music booked for the festival and the professionalism and dedication of the Tri-C staff. Would highly recommend this festival to board members as I am sure we will go back next year.

LWayne

[AllenLowe]

that's a good fest - but it was really Dan Gould's idea, the whole thing, they stole everything from him - he's just too modest to admit it - also, Bresnahan was the original director, but they found him too abrasive and had to can him -