Encore, Sort Of…

Review: Alex Slomka and Friends at Jazz on Jay; Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026

See an artist twice in a short time and we notice different things.

Seeing trombonist Alex Slomka at Jazz on Jay Thursday felt objectively different from his July show at the Van Dyck: different players except for bassist Lou Smaldpne who played both, and with guitarist Shaun McCarthy in for Wyatt Ambrose and drummer Eric Binder added.

Some songs repeated from show to show, but played differently and in a single set, rather than the two-sets-with-break Van Dyck format.

Alex Slomka, above; the band, below, from left: Slomka, trombone; Lou Smaldone, bass; Eric Binder, drums; Shaun McCarthy, guitar

Early on, I heard again how clearly Slomka solos by shaping and structuring in coherent, logical phrases without sounding stiff. The band felt different, though. While McCarthy’s guitar tone resembled Wyatt’s in its clarity, he relied more on single-note runs than Ambrose who mixed in chords. Wild-card addition drummer Binder played a small kit with a tom-sized kick, and this might have felt treble-dominated, top-heavy, with a less aggressive bassist than Smaldone. Things balanced well and everybody helped everybody by listening and commenting; especially Slomka who chimed in on others’ solos more than in July.

They started with Slomka noodling around the melody of “September in the Rain” before stating it clearly and injecting an emphatic rasp early in his first solo. Playing through the smallest amp in town, McCarthy more than held his own; Smaldone did, too, as usual; and Binder took the last break before Slomka raised his slide to signal the recap.

Citing his debut recording “A Box of Socks” in a droll intro, Alex led “Shiny Stockings” at a slower tempo, but easy-swinging. He reverted to the Miles Davis whisper-growl he’d used at the Van Dyck to set up the New Orleans classic “Yellow Moon” as a cozy bolero, Binder playing with mallets.

“You’re My Everything” swung ballad-style, Slomka’s solo a model of clearly-crafted structure that still sounded spontaneous and Smaldone weaving a happy scramble on his break. Here, McCarthy stepped front, away from the chart on his music stand, to play from memory.

Slomka introduced “Bachnawa” as an original, a tidy waltz, and asked afterward, as a test, “Did anybody catch the composer?” Then he spoke in simple sincerity, introducing “Lil’ Darlin’” as a tribute to our late, great jazz-scene energizer Tim Coakley. This Neal Hefti classic had New Orleans flourishes and the sort of hesitation beat Coakley liked to hear and to play.

Coakley would also have enjoyed the upshift from quiet noodling to full flight in “I’ve Never Been in Love Before,” as the beat bumped around, especially in Binder’s busy hands and feet.

After the rock-soul two-part melody of “I Can’t Help It,” Slomka darting in and out of McCarthy’s solo before grabbing his own, “All of Me” was a late-set highlight. Slomka was clearly feeling it in his solo and stretched out, going around again. Intro’ing his own “Mammatus,” he re-joked about fans heading for the exits to avoid his originals. With “Bachnawa” earlier, he claimed he hated playing outdoors since he couldn’t lock the doors to retain fleeing fans. No need to lock up his listeners in the swinging vintage closer “Remember;” his “Mammatus,” either.

Afterward, ace Jazz on Jay volunteer Betsy Sandberg announced, “The summer of free music is not over,” as fans folded their lawn chairs, crews took down the tents and friends clustered around congratulating Slomka and his band-mates.

Jazz on Jay wraps up on Thursday, Aug. 13 with the Hot Club of Saratoga.

As flyers handed out in the crowd announced, Schenectady PorchFest on Saturday, Sept. 19 presents 15 acts on seven porches; all free.

Music Haven presents the Lost Bayou Ramblers from Louisiana and Cecilia from Quebec in its last concert this season on Sunday, Aug. 23 at 7 p.m., and its final film “Song Sung Blue” on Friday, Aug. 28. Food service and recorded music by Rochmon Record Club start at 5:30 p.m., film at dusk.

Scotia’s Freedom Park presents its season’s final show at 5 p.m. on Saturday: Jimmy Kenny and the Private Beach Band.

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