A Coming Attraction:

Cliff Brucker and New Circle at Jazz on Jay, Thursday, June 13, 2024

It’s a band with two Cliffs, and big-name credits.

Cliff Brucker. Photo supplied

Drummer/leader Cliff Brucker has played with Aretha Franklin, Buddy Greco, Rex Richardson, Bob Mintzer, Ray Vega, Claudio Roditi, Sandy Hackett’s Rat Pack and more.

Cliff Lyons. Photo supplied

Saxophonist Cliff Lyons played with Albany favorites including Downtime, then the Ed Palermo Big Band and now tours with the Average White Band. 

Trumpeter Chris Pasin toured in the Buddy Rich band with Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Mel Torme, Sarah Vaughn, Ella Fitzgerald and Nancy Wilson before joining the Toshiko Akiyoshi/Lew Tabackin big band, then playing with other NYC jazz, salsa and Brazilian bands and making four albums of his own.

Pianist Larry Ham has played with Lionel Hampton’s Orchestra, the Illinois Jacquet Big Band, Dakota Staton and others.

Bassist Rich Syracuse played in the late, great Lee Shaw’s trio after stints with Mose Allison, Nick Brignola, Joey Calderazzo, Jimmy Cobb and more.

“We will play some Benny Golson tunes,” Brucker says: “Stablemates,” “Along Came Betty” and “Step Lightly” – also the standards “The Night Has a Thousand Eyes,” “Ladybird” and “Nica’s Dream”…”mostly jazz standards for everyone to solo over,” also Pasin’s original “Meter Maid,” a tribute to the Meters.

“This band is full of monster improvisers, so I want to let them shine,” says Brucker who plays “from an accompanying standpoint, improvising while playing time for everyone and reacting from moment to moment.”

“New Circle” denotes Lyons’s replacing Leo Russo in the Full Circle lineup Brucker built around the veteran saxophonist. They recorded two albums.

Brucker and trumpeters Steve Weisse and Dylan Canterbury lead the BWC Jazz Orchestra which plays WAMC’s The Linda July 11th and Scotia’s Freedom Park August 11th. Full Circle reunites Sept. 14 with both Leo Russo and son Lee. Cliff and Friends plays every third Sunday at Stoney’s Irish Grill.

Jazz on Jay free concerts are noon to 1:30 p.m. at Jay Square, the newly dedicated park space opposite Schenectady City Hall. The rain site is Robb Alley at Proctors, 432 State St., Schenectady. Seating is provided indoors at Robb Alley, but patrons are invited to bring their own seating and refreshments to Jay Square.

Jazz on Jay is presented by the ElectriCity Arts and Entertainment District and sponsored by the New York State Council on the Arts, a Schenectady County Legislature Arts & Culture Grant, Downtown Schenectady Improvement Corporation, The Schenectady Foundation, Price Chopper/Market 32, MVP Health Care, Schenectady County, Schenectady City Hall, and Proctors Collaborative.