North Country to the Whole Country
Review: The Gibson Brothers, and Sara Milonovich and Daisycutter at Music Haven on Sunday, July 19, 2026 “Creativity has no address,” said former ad man and current North Country TV chief Jesse Jackson on winning a national TV commercial award. Neither has bluegrass, as North Country creatives the Gibson Brothers and Sara Milonovich proved at…
Hometown ‘Bone
Review: The Alex Slomka Trio at the Van Dyck; Saturday, July 18, 2026 “The trouble with a hometown show is that you all know I don’t really sound like that,” said Alex Slomka in his regular voice, after first rasping in “jazz voice” imitating Miles Davis’s fierce whisper. That seemed the only trouble in sight…
Blue Skies Indoors at Jazz Near Jay
Review: The Ragtime Windjammers at Jazz On Jay on Thursday, July 16, 2026 Heavy with irony, the opening number – “Blue Skies” – soared anyway. Skies gray with Wednesday’s wildfire smoke drove Jazz on Jay into Proctors GE Theatre Thursday, the Ragtime Windjammers used two subs on the gig, and longtime drummer Tim Coakley died earlier in…
Ragtime Windjammers to Bring Traditional Jazz to Jazz on Jay Thursday
Traditional jazz charms easily with its happy upbeat energy. But playing this antique style takes dedication and skill. The Ragtime Windjammers bring plenty of both: Dave Lambert, clarinet; Woody Strobeck, trombone; Steve Lambert, trumpet; Mike Lawrence, bass; and Ron Bill, banjo and guitar. Dave Lambert started playing clarinet in fifth grade, learning from Mel Schiff,…
Music Haven Opens with Transatlantic Sounds
Review: Ricardo Lemvo and Makina Loka, and Taina Asili on Sunday, July 12, 2026 at Music Haven in Schenectady’s Central Park Musical notes know no nationalities, beats have no boundaries – so nothing in human culture feels as international or inclusive as music. Music Haven launched its 36th season Sunday – 10 concerts, three musical movies and…
2nd Galway Jazz Festival Presents 8 Bands Sunday at the Cock ’N’ Bull
Preview: Free Festival Samples Area Jazz Artists Eight area jazz crews perform Sunday in the 2nd Galway Jazz Festival, presented free by Capital District Jazz Ltd. The Cock ‘N’ Bull outdoor performance area; roofed artists’ shed in the background. Photo provided From 11:30 a.m. to likely past 9 p.m., the festival presents these local and…
Sax Star Keith Pray Plays Organ with Ortet at Jazz on Jay
Preview: Keith Pray’s Ortet plays Jazz on Jay, Thursday, July 9, 2026 Keith Pray leads his Ortet organ trio today with guitarist Michael Novakowski and drummer Chad Ploss on a musical path he began exploring after seeing organist Dr. Lonnie Liston Smith in New York. Pray recalled, “His music was hypnotic, funky as could be…
Review: Shiri Zorn at Jazz on Jay; Thursday, July 2, 2026
Moving singer Shiri Zorn into Proctors GE Theater for Thursday’s Jazz on Jay show made double sense; extremely hot weather outside, extremely cool music inside. Between guitarist Chad McLoughlin at stage left and percussionist Brian Melick stage right, Zorn sat throughout. Gesturing with long-fingered expressive hands, her controlled, cozy voice never pushed things; melodic motion…
Jazz Singer Jeanne O’Connor Previews/Teases New Album Friday at Caffe Lena
Saratoga-accessible, New York City hip, Jeanne O’Connor sings fresh tunes from her new album Friday at Caffe Lena – her 15th showcase here since moving from New York; you know, that other jazz city. Her “The Sweetest Sounds” album releases next year, so this preview unwraps a new package, each song a surprise. Friday, she sings…
Shiri Zorn Sings Thursday at Jazz on Jay
A Cool Voice on a Hot Day; Jazz on Jazz Likely to Move Indoors Thursday Shiri Zorn trusts her voice so completely that she sings with only minimal accompaniment. Thursday at Jazz on Jay, she sings with guitarist Chad McLoughlin and percussionist Brian Melick, the same trio format as on her albums “Into Another Land”…
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