Day 2 brings Lee Ritenour to Kodak Hall

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On Day 2 of the Jazz Fest, some notable names will perform, including the Lee Ritenour Band, the Jonathan Scales Fourchester and Janet Evra.

Spanning five decades, guitarist Lee Ritenour‘s career incorporates music from an array of genres, from ’80s pop to Brazilian jazz. Ritenour has had several hits—“Is it You” and “Get Up Stand Up” on Spotify, earning 18 million and 9 million streams, respectively. Other songs include the three-part symphony “2020” on the album “Dreamcatcher,” his first solo record.

When discussing the three-part symphony Ritenour has said, “When all of a sudden everybody’s life shut down. I was thinking about the young musicians that were out of work—and people in every walk of life.”

The Lee Ritenour Band will perform at the Kodak Hall at Eastman Theater with special guests Randy Brecker, saxophonist and producer, and trumpeter and composer Bill Evans.

A favorite of many, the Jonathan Scales Fourchestra incorporates jazz, classical and progressive rock with steel pans, electric bass and drums. It is not unusual for a performance to highlight Latin rhythms and funk, taking audiences on a wild ride. The Jonathan Scales Fourchestra plays in the Wilder Room.

Jazz vocalist, bassist and composer Janet Evra will perform music from her new record, “Meet Me in Paris,” released last year. Her music in that album is described as French jazz-themed with lyrics in both French and English. Evra will share her talent at Max of Eastman Place.

Canadian band the Shuffle Demons’ music is deeply rooted in jazz and funk. The band is known for its great stage presence and genre-bending music. In its almost four-decade history, the band has released 10 albums and played over 1,000 shows. The Shuffle Demons perform at the Duke, one of the two new Jazz Fest venues.

Gwilym Simcock and Tommy Smith also are on the roster this evening. Simcocks’ music combines jazz and classical music with inspirations from Keith Jarrett and Maurice Ravel. Smith, a jazz player known for his saxophone skills, began his music career at a young age, releasing his first album when he was 16. The duo will be at Kilbourn Hall.

Jazz Fest’s producers are looking forward to the Brain Cloud’s magic. Described by some as Western swing, the group features multi-instrumentalist Dennis Lichtman and vocalist Tamar Korn, known for lending improvisational freedom to each song. Combined with Lichtman’s prowess with a variety of instruments—mandolin fiddle and clarinet, to name a few—the musical arrangements are likely to lift audiences off their feet.

For show times and ticket prices, see the full Jazz Fest schedule. For the Beacon’s Jazz Fest coverage, click here.

Charles Schaff is a Rochester Beacon intern, a rising junior at Ithaca College and a member of the Beacon Oasis Project’s inaugural cohort. The Beacon welcomes comments and letters from readers who adhere to our comment policy including use of their full, real name. Submissions to the Letters page should be sent to [email protected]

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