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The heat and humidity made Day 3 at the Rochester International Jazz Festival pretty uncomfortable. That didn’t stop fans from making their way downtown, although the Sunday crowd was notably thinner than Saturday’s. I retreated to the air-conditioned venues to catch shows when I could.
The first escape was Hatch Recital Hall, where I was greeted by two familiar faces: Eri Yamamoto and Bruce Barth, who were one of the most memorable acts of 2023. The pianists had some of the best chemistry I had ever seen on stage, and I couldn’t wait to experience the unique magic of a dual piano performance again.
It didn’t take long to understand the differences in their playing styles. Even just by looking at them: Yamamoto was dressed in a vivid green dress, and Barth in a soft blue/gray button down. She carried a lively and expressive countenance, while Barth’s face had a softer presence. When playing the piano, Yamamoto taps the beat with the tip of her shoe, while Barth keeps time with his heel. It’s clear that Barth focuses more on texture and colorful chords, while Yamamoto focuses more on melodic and rhythmic exploration. The two grand pianos they played had their frames fit perfectly together, reflecting the yin and yang balance that the two create when their musicianship comes together.
They started with a familiar song, “Blackbird” by Paul McCartney. The last time I saw Yamamoto, she mentioned that she rarely sings—then performed her first original song with lyrics, “A Woman with a Purple Wig,” a piece about navigating sexism, racism, and harassment on the streets of New York City. Seeing her confidently open the show with the classic McCartney tune showed me how much she has found her voice over the past couple of years. The lyrics of “Blackbird” brought me back to “A Woman with a Purple Wig,” where she sang, “someday I want to walk like a free bird.”
This sense of finding freedom is present in each of the Yamamoto compositions that she and Barth played during the set. The songs found support in Barth’s contribution. “Fly with the Wings” was inspired by a dream she had where she was flying around the New York City skyline. Her chromatically descending piano solos became the wings, and Barth’s cinematic touches became the buildings.
In another Yamamoto composition, the simply titled “Life,” the song blossomed with color and human spirit, especially as Yamamoto joined Barth at his piano. It is hard to think of many concert moments that have made me happier than seeing the two of them on the same piano. Seeing their collaboration when it is that close together, with their arms constantly overlapping each other, and their hands working together to service the piece best and take the compositions to new levels, gave me chills two years ago, and this time too.
The two of them excel at jazz composition, and they trust each other completely with their songs. The Barth piece “Little Ditty” (mistitled “Little Dirty” on streaming platforms) exhibited how much personality he can pack into a simple framing. Yamamoto was entrusted with the melody of the song, and she brought her own intensity to it. The unshaking support from Barth kept the two on their feet as they pushed the piece to its limit.
After a handful of mindblowing piano solos, the inclusion of a melodica, and their infectious positive spirit once again cemented this show as one of my favorite acts at the Jazz Fest. I can only hope Rochester is lucky enough to have them come back again for another year.
After Barth and Yamamoto, I stationed myself at the Jazz Street Stage to see local legend and longest-playing sports organist Fred Costello provide the streets with some organ-kissed jazz, where he would jam with his band for the rest of the evening. The show started off with some technical difficulties, but once they all got going, more and more people stopped by the stage to hang out near the good music.
Many Rochestarians have probably heard the 89-year-old play during Red Wings games at Innovative Field. He brought those sounds to the street stage as he and his band banged out “Take Me Out to the Ball Game,” prompting everyone sitting in front of the stage to stand up and sing along. Even in the persistent heat, people wandered to the base of the stage to start dancing to everything Costello and his band laid down.
To end my third day at the Jazz Fest, I headed to Innovation Theater to see Bill Evans & the Vansband All Stars. Not to be confused with the other jazz musician named Bill Evans who was one of the revolutionizing forces that established modal jazz. This Bill Evans is the jazz fusion superstar on the saxophone who, just like the other Bill Evans, worked with Miles Davis.
Evans’ fusion sound is otherworldly, a descriptor that he said he drew a lot from other musicians. His frequently reverb-ed and smooth saxophone wails, paired up with the rapid, intensive runs he would go through during his solos, kept things interesting. His songs were healthily infused with pop, rock, and funk music. Each song would seamlessly transition between styles, giving Evans the opportunity to showcase his versatility. With a backing band of seasoned touring and session musicians, his performance was full of showmanship, making it a crowd-pleasing end to the day.
For the Beacon’s Jazz Fest coverage, click here.
Jess Williams is a Beacon contributing writer and former intern.
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