Day 2 Recap of J&R’s Musicfest

Day 1 of Musicfest was awesome. Solange, Michelle Williams and Terrence Howard all had incredible performances. They certainly started Musicfest off with a bang.

Day 2 of Musicfest was a more mature affair. While the crowd was certainly older, their enthusiasm for the show was unrivaled. Many were in attendance to see Roy Hargrove and Esperanza Spalding.

The first performance on Day 2 was Aaron Parks. Aaron is an awarding winning Jazz pianist with talent well beyond his age of 24. He has been a notable sideman to the legendary trumpeter Terence Blanchard, and the up and coming Christian Scott. His performance was nothing short of brilliant. He got a tremendous reception from the crowd. He’s one to watch.

The next performer was the delightful Esperanza Spalding. A talented vocalist and double bassist, she gave a riveting performance that left everyone spellbound and wanting more. With her trademark afro swaying as she played the bass, her stunning voice solidified what her fans already know; she plays a mean bass and has a great voice. Those who weren’t fans before became fans. She’s one to look out for in the future. At a mere 24, she will no doubt get better. Considering how talented she is now, one can only imagine what the future holds.

The third performance was The Caribbean Jazz Project featuring Dave Samuels. Dave and his ensemble The Caribbean Jazz Project are a grammy award winning group, so we expected a fantastic performance, but what we got completely blew us away. Dave, an accomplished vibraphone player brought the house down with his playing. The rest of the guys put on a hell of a show. The entire crowd got into their Afro-Cuban Jazz style of play. The heavy emphasis on the drums just made it splendid. Could anyone match this kind of performance?

The answer is yes! Roy Hargrove, the final performer of the evening gave a performance that could be only described as intense. I heard the crowd buzzing, and quite a few people compared him to John Coltrane. You’re pretty good if people even mention you in the same sentence as Coltrane. When they compare him to you, then undoubtedly you have talent in spades.

Before Roy and his ensemble took the stage, there was a video commemorating the 50th anniversary of Kind of Blue by Miles Davis. Performing after a video commemorating the quintessential Jazz album of the 20th Century and one of the best jazz musicians of all time would be hard for anyone. Not for Roy though. He came out in his slick black suit and proceeded tear the roof off the joint. (well not literally, it was an outdoor concert you know) His ensemble was equally as good. The crowd wanted an encore and he delivered. Esperanza Spalding was seen in the press pit grooving and dancing to Roy and his ensemble. At the end of the performance, the crowd gave Roy and his ensemble a long standing ovation and their chants and applause let him know they enjoyed the set wholeheartedly.

Check back in for a recap of Day 3. Meanwhile, you can checkout pictures of all 3 days of Musicfest on Flickr.

This entry was posted by Atane on Monday, August 25th, 2008 at 3:16 pm