Saxophonist Brian Patneaude plays Jazz on Jay Thursday, July 18 in his only show this summer as a leader. The ever-busy, perennial poll winner will also play with five other bands, plus a week at Proctors in “Tina: The Tina Turner musical.” (See www.brianpatneaude.com for details.)
So, Patneaude will make the most of his show Thursday with regulars Rob Lindquist, piano; Justin Hendricks, guitar; Jarod Grieco, bass and Danny Whelchel, drums. “Rob, Danny and I have played with more bands than we can probably recall over the past 25 years,” says Patneaude, noting his quartet with Lindquist, Greico and Whelchel has played together for five years and Hendricks first played with them last summer.
After playing drums in middle-school, Patneaude switched to sax in Redline which played Pink Floyd and Sting tunes. He also studied with Schalmont High School band directors Dave Lambert and Mark Eiser; studied privately with Keith Bushy and Linden Gregory; also with Paul Evoskevich at the College of St. Rose, then Tom Walsh and Pat Harbison at the University of Cincinnati.
“Repertoire for this group is usually a mixture of original material and other folks’ music,” Patneaude explains, listing his originals “Unending” and “Majority” plus Pat Metheny’s “James,” Mike Mainieri’s “Flying Colors” and “Self Portrait” (both recorded with Steps Ahead featuring Michael Brecker), and Don Grolnick’s “Lotus Blossom,” which Sanborn often played.
My life was never the same,” says Patneaude, after Brecker and the recently deceased David Sanborn inspired him when band director Sean Lowry played their music for him.
Patneaude’s approach is modern as his quartet’s repertoire.
“Every song we play is a vehicle for each member of the band to express themselves as they see fit,” Patneaude explains.
“We don’t discuss how we’re going to play it ahead of time,” he says. “One of us will just start the tune and the rest of us hop on for the ride.”
Jazz on Jay free concerts are noon to 1:30 p.m. at Jay Square, the new 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.
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