Smooth, smooth

Review: Winelight at Jazz on Jay in Proctors GE Theater, Thursday, July 3, 2025

Reaching back to 70s and 80s smooth jazz, mainly through the music of Grover Washington Jr., Winelight played that easy-going style to mellow effect Thursday at Jazz on Jay. They showed their reverence for fluid soul-jazz-pop tenor player Washington by naming themselves after one of his songs – they played that one, of course – and by starting their 90-minute show with “Just the Two of Us,” a Washington/Bill Withers co-write.

Winelight – From left, keyboardist/singer Azaam Hameed, saxophonist Allen Halstead, drummer Ben Rau, bassist Michael Hurt, and guitarist Joe Finn

Drummer Ben Rau sang the jazz-pop antique “When You’re Smiling;” but keyboardist Azzaam Hameed sang more: “Summertime,” “Make Me a Memory” and “You Bring Me Joy,” his low-pressure baritone easing through the songs. Instrumentally, they followed small-band conventions of unified opening statements, solos to develop ideas further, then back together to close. 

Allen Halstead

The slower-than-most “Winelight” used a different opening to interesting effect; Michael Hurt’s bass and Hameed’s keyboards flowing low while drums – mostly cymbals, actually – paired higher up with Joe Finn’s guitar, the whole thing forming a platform for reedman/frontman Allen Halstead’s alto.

Joe Finn

Workmanlike, non-stagy, they calmly stood and delivered although guitarist Finn’s energy  engaged the band, the crowd and the music in his kinetic playing in Freddy Hubbard’s “Little Sunflower” and George Benson’s “Affirmation.” Here he used Benson’s alternating chord-strumming and note-picking style very well. Solos were crisp and brief; Halstead’s alto superbly lyrical in “Summertime,” gruffly persuasive in Carlos Santana’s “Europa.” Bassist Michael Hurt was a model of taste and touch, always there, always solid but never claiming much attention.

Michael Hurt

The music moved so easily, with so little friction, that rough spots felt welcome. Halstead struggled a bit with intonation and changed reeds on both alto and tenor. They mixed up the solo order in “Summertime” and glanced around in silent negotiations for what came next. More common were echoes where a riff on one instrument brought an answer from another.

Most songs cruised on smooth-jazz style mid tempos, though the show’s middle section slowed some; then they built things back up. Their closer “Mr. Magic” pumped a bit harder than most performers play or sing it, bumping up from a deep-funk opener to a spirited, happy close with handclaps from the crowd joining in strong.

Azzaam Hameed

The only non-smooth aspect of the show was a double venue change that confused some fans who wandered in late. Storm warnings drove the show indoors at Proctors, but the customary Robb Alley rain site on the (north) State Street side was busy with activities around the Proctors Main Stage matinee of Beauty and the Beast; so Proctors GE Theater (south, Smith Street side) hosted the show. Some Beauty and the Beast-bound fans heard the music in the GE Theater and wandered in for a bonus smooth-jazz prelude. They also had to leave in the middle of one show to hit the other, but the veteran Winelight quintet took these defections in their easy-going stride.

Ben Rau

Apologies to Ben Rau for profiling the wrong Ben Rau in my preview, posted Wednesday. I Googled around, found the wrong one and should have checked. The correct Ben Rau, whose beats were always correct and who enjoyed the show more than anybody, hails from Troy, taught music in Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk schools and plays also with the Soul Survivors, Georgie Wanders Orchestra and RK Jazz and Blues.

Set List

Just the Two of Us

Sugar

When You’re Smiling

Winelight

Little Sunflower

Summertime

Make Me a Memory

Affirmation

You Bring Me Joy

Europa

Expansions

Mr. Magic