Sunday, May 15, 2011

Jazzfest Leg 2 @ Fairgrounds 5/5/11

I briefly checked out The Help at the Lagniappe Stage.  I just keep wondering why New Wave doesn't do anything for me.

Sasha Mazakowski is Steve's daughter and a jazz singer.  She had a great band and the music was outstanding.  However, Sasha has that jazz voice style that I don't care for, so I didn't stay too long.  The band was probably this one I found on her facebook page.
Sasha Masakowski & Musical Playground:
Sasha Masakowski- vocals, composer, arranger
James Westfall- keys, composer, arranger, musical mastermind, major league baseball pro, BBQ guru
Jasen Weaver- bass, arranger, embodiment of funkadelic ignorant-ass bliss
Nick Solnick- percussion, drums, arranger, Brazilian drum machine, puts the Soul in Solnick
Julian Addison- drums, arranger, God of the Groove, Sade's favorite drummer

Linnzi Zaorski was a whole other thing.  Great jazz vocalist with another great band.  She has clarinet, guitar, violin and upright and trumpet.  Her voice and music style were different from Sasha's.  Sasha was in the Jazz Tent while Linnzi was in the Economy Hall Tent.  I tend to like vocals in the Economy Hall Tent.  Here's a review I found of the jazzfest performance.

I was intrigued by the name and description of Eagle & Hawk, sceduled to play the Gentilly Stage.  I got caught there for quite a while.  It's a great rock band that incorporates their Native American ancestry into the music.  I do think they need to settle down about audience participation.  It got a little annoying that they kept asking is everybody ok? And continually demanding a response.  I left toward the end of the set.  That was good because they tried to get the crowd to do a call and response singalong.  They were very much into and enjoying the music, but obviously not up to the singalong.  So, we got silence any time it was their turn.  I think it would be great if the band could adapt when the crowd doesn't want to participate in the requested manner.  I'm glad I left when I did because I thoroughly enjoyed it while I was there.

I would love to see Eagle & Hawk again.  They are from Canada.  I hope they get to NY someday or I happen to be in the right place at the right time.

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