Cool shows happen here while I’m in Nashville for a show by brother Jim’s Floating Zone band.
Proctors presents the Joshua Rodman Quartet at Universal Preservation Hall Thursday, Melisande at Proctors Passport Series in the GE Theatre Friday; and a Very Slambovian Christmas Saturday at the Eighth Step at Proctors GE Theatre. Meanwhile, an extended run of “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas” starts Tuesday on Proctors Main Stage.
Joshua Redman. Photo provided
The son of jazz saxophone great Dewey Rodman, Joshua came up in the 1990s Young Lions wave of young jazzers alongside the Marsalis brothers. Now 56, he’s half a generation older than his current band: drummer Nazir Ego, bassist Philip Norris and pianist Paul Cornish. They’re the same 20-somethings he led at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall in February 2024, minus singer wife Gabrielle Cavassa who guests on their new album “Words Fall Short” – as does saxophonist Melissa Aldana who’s played here with her own bands plus Artemis.
The restless Rodman changes bands often, having played here with his own quartets and trios plus the all-star crews James Farm and Yaya and some guest spots. He made his “Back East” album (2007) with three different rhythm sections and three guest saxophonists; followed two years later with “Compass” featuring a double rhythm section; and earned a Grammy nomination for his guest spot on “The Bad Plus Joshua Redman.” In the early 90s, shortly after winning the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz International Competition, he made two albums with his saxophonist father Dewey, now deceased.
Redman brings robust and consistent musical strengths to his 30-plus albums and many tours – most have hit here. He wields an ever-questing fiery imagination, varying tones and attacks attuned to a vast emotional range, phrasing that rocks and swings and a generous band-leading approach as accompanist and soloist.
Redman leads his quartet Thursday at Universal Preservation Hall (25 Washington St., Saratoga Springs). 7:30 p.m. $45.50–$75.50. 518-346-6204 http://www.proctors.org.
Just as Redman returns here in his most-favored quartet configuration, Melisandre opens Proctors Passport Series Friday at its GE Theatre (632 State St., Schenectady) in a stylistic re-wind to a former archivist approach. Like the Lomaxes, Pete Seeger, the Carolina Chocolate Drops and many musical explorers of past traditions, she and her bandmates traveled to track down the sources of the music they updated into their “electrotrad” fusion hybrid style.
After four albums of plugged-in Quebecois dance music they had found in written and recorded archives and in villages along the Richelieu River, Melisande stepped back to acoustic fundamentals on “Rembobine” (“Rewind,” in French).
Melisande, the singer, above; Melisande, the band, below. Photos provided
Melisande, by the way, signifies both the five-piece band and its leader, the single-named singer and jaw-harp and mandolin player; plus wooden flute player, bassist (and her husband) Alexandre de Grosbois-Garand, acoustic guitarist Jean Desrochers, fiddler Gabriel Girouard and percussionist Eric Breton.
Their music cruises on an ethnic and acoustic authenticity that never feels confining or stiff because it also explodes into revved, rocking episodes that invite jumping up and throwing down.
Music Haven presents The Proctors Passport Series, following its globe-spinning mission of traveling the world one concert at a time. The series also presents the Swedish acoustic duo Vasen (Michael Marin and Olov Johnson) Feb. 12 at Universal Preservation Hall; the New York-based, western-Asian-inspired fusion group Baklava Express March 13 at Proctors GE Theatre, then the young cumbia-style accordionist Yeison Landero from the Colombian Caribbean, in the same venue, May 14.
Proctors Passport Series shows all hit at 7:30 p.m. Admission $30. 518-346-6204 http://www.proctors.org.
The Eighth Step presents “A Very Slambovian Christmas,” also in Proctors GE Theatre, on Saturday, the night after Melisande.
The holiday show of the always surprising Slambovian Circus of Dreams, this could musically wander almost anywhere.
This singular band is singer/guitarist Joziah Longo (sometimes billed as Gandalf Murphy); singer, cellist, mandolinist, flautist and accordion player Tink Lloyd; guitarist and mandolin player Sharkey McEwen – all longtime members – plus bassist Bob Torsello, drummer Matthew Aborezk and RJ McCarty playing bass, keyboards and saxophone.
Slambovians. Photo provided
In its deceptively serious attack, the Catskills-based combo plays a gloriously happy hodgepodge of singer-songwriter personality, amped anarchy in a Frank Zappa/Captain Beefheart-style mash-up of rock, jazz and blues; hootenanny hijinks of gleeful momentum and kitchen-sink experimentation. It’s great playful fun, in short; and who knows what they might do to familiar Christmas carols?
Their deep bag of tricks includes fan-favorite events, notably their several Halloween blasts Grand Slambovian Hillbilly Pirate Ball, Grand Slambovian Surrealist Ball, and Rock’n’Roll Seance – and the Very Slambovian Christmas show.
A Very Slambovian Christmas harks the heralds on Saturday. 7:30 p.m. $30 advance, $35 on Saturday; $40 front and center. 518-474-1702 www.eighthstep.org
HERE COMES CHRISTMAS
Holiday concerts seem to start earlier and earlier, like carols starting up in malls before Thanksgiving – but better, because its live.
Thursday, the McKrells start their run of 11 Christmas shows at the Sand Lake Center for the Arts – before they wander all over the place!
Friday brings a touch choice: banjoist Tony Trischka brings his Holiday Show to the Cock ’N’ Bull while Caffe Lena presents A Winter’s Evening with Ryanhood.
It’s A Jazzy Christmas plays Dec. 19 at Universal Preservation Hall and the next night at Proctors GE Theater.
Then the Eighth Step presents Sing Solstice! On Dec. 21 – near the end of the McKrells’ marathon holiday run.
Hoke's Jukebox 