For whatever reason, I can’t get the cold, bustling jazz-filled nights at the 2019 NYC winter jazzfest out of my mind. Perhaps it’s because I’m feeling a little FOMO watching the post-pandemic return of the winter jazzfest from the other side of the pond. But almost 5 years later, I still find myself reminiscing about Butcher Brown’s groovy set at the Mercury Lounge, and the transcendent, hip-hop infused celebration of Black jazz at the Bowery Ballroom-courtesy of Makaya McCraven, Joel Ross, Meshell Ndegeocello, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Chris Dave and the Drumhedz, and so, so many more. Those nights at the Bowery Ballroom, standing alone in the heaving crowd, drink-in-hand-with-eyes-closed, I felt like I was witnessing an ominous moment in jazz.
Three performances stood out during the festival’s Manhattan marathon- a Friday and Saturday night of back-to-back shows spread across Lower Manhattan’s live music venues.
First up, Takuya Kuroda. I’d known him as José James’ trumpet player, and hadn’t thought much of him beyond that (my bad, clearly). Kuroda’s funky, energetic yet slightly reserved performance blew me away, and I left New York with a new-found respect for him. The title track of his latest album, Midnight Crisp has the same understated magic.
Next up, Butcher Brown. I’d been dying to see them live since I stumbled across their first album, ‘All Purpose Music’ on Spotify. The Virginia-based band create a unique blend of contemporary jazz, soul, funk, hip-hop, rock, you name it. It’s hard to put a label on their sound. Their performance of Sticky July at the jazzfest was delectable, with a rhythmic improvisation I wish they’d captured in the studio version. Their 2022 album, ‘Butcher Brown Presents Triple Trey’ sees the band take a slight turn, fully embracing their hip-hop and big-band roots. I’m not a huge fan of this new sound, but Freeze Me is a head-nodding favourite.
Last, but definitely not least: Chris Dave and the Drumhedz. I knew Chris “Daddy” Dave as the illustrious drummer in the Robert Glasper Trio/Experiment (and it turns out he’s one of those unsung heroes who’s played drums for everyone from Adele to D’Angelo). I’d discovered the Robert Glasper Experiment while studying in the UK in the early 2010s. Glasper has charted an adventurous path from the Trio’s mellow compositions to the avant-garde R&B and hip-hop-heavy sound that the Experiment has masterfully captured in the star-studded Black Radio albums. So, I obviously jumped at the opportunity to see the Experiment live at the Barbican in London in 2012, and I’ve been a super-fan (could be read, groupie) since.
Dave took a hiatus from the Experiment to pursue his own project with the Drumhedz. The result was an assured self-titled album, Chris Dave and the Drumhedz released in 2018, that I come back to again and again. Dave has done a couple of solo projects since then, and his signature cool drumming style shines through on Caucasity (language warning) from his 2021 album, ‘Thine People, Vol. 2.’
At the winter jazzfest, Dave led a somewhat start-stop but powerful jam session with special guests Thundercat, Bilal, and almost every musician that had been on stage earlier that night (Georgia Anne Muldrow’s improv performance with Dave was ancestral). Man, I didn’t want that night to end.
Sooo, it looks like I might be spending next winter in New York.