Musical eras flashed by and intermingled like happily jumbled memories at the Verizon Jazz Festival’s finale, a free concert Saturday afternoon on the Columbia University campus. The 1930’s, 50’s, 60’s and 90’s were all up for grabs as five first-rate groups appeared during the six-hour concert.
The concert opened and closed with big bands. The Magali Souriau Orchestra’s pieces looked toward France, Gil Evans, Thelonious Monk and literature. Ms. Souriau’s pieces, including one inspired by “Lord of the Rings” and another toying with the melody from Debussy’s “Clair de Lune,” created misty, closely harmonized textures from which tendrils of melodies emerged, sometimes entwining in quasi-classical canons.
The debut of the Big 3 Palladium Orchestra closed the concert. Mario Grillo (the son of Machito), Tito Rodriguez Jr. and Tito Puente Jr. took turns leading the big band in music by their fathers, dating as far back as Machito’s and Mario Bauza’s pioneering Latin-jazz hybrids from the 1930’s. Trumpeters leaped to high notes as congas and timbales drove taut ensembles, while glitter-clad couples danced onstage and volunteers danced in the audience. Latin jazz was welcoming its first repertory orchestra, with no need for scholarly decorum.
The concert’s generosity backfired. To stay on schedule, sets were cut short when equipment changes took longer than planned; Mr. Shorter’s group had barely 40 minutes. A smaller lineup or an earlier start would have given the music some breathing room.
Source: The New York Times • Review by Jon Pareles