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2019 Hudson Jazz Festival

By Rudolph Lu
April 2, 2019
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Hudson, New York is a two-hour ride from New York City, an hour away from Albany, and home to the Hudson Jazz Festival. Now in its second year, this year's festival took place from February 17 through February 19, with all performances held in the recently restored Hudson Hall.

Day one featured the music of Bobby Sanabria and

Quarteto Aché

" data-original-title="" title="">Quarteto Ach��.

Day two started in the afternoon, with performances by three solo pianists.

Kirk Nurock

" data-original-title="" title="">Kirk Nurock opened the program. Seldom performing in public, he is a master of dynamics. His performance was laced with early twentieth-century impressionism and jazz ranging from bebop to boogie-woogie. Nurock also included an interpretation of

Duke Ellington

piano
1899 - 1974

" data-original-title="" title="">Duke Ellington's "Don't Get Around Much Anymore."

Lynne Arriale

piano
b.1957

" data-original-title="" title="">Lynne Arriale has been described as the "poet laureate" of the piano. She lived up to that title in her lyrical performance in Hudson. She rang out emotion with every note. Along with jazz standards, she performed an interpretation of The Beatles' "Let it Be."

Sullivan Fortner

piano
b.1986

" data-original-title="" title="">Sullivan Fortner brings the traditional sounds of his native New Orleans to his playing. Among other recognizable tunes, he interpreted Earth Wind & Fire's "Fantasy." The finale was a round-robin of the three pianists performing "Straight, No Chaser" and another Beatles' song, "And I Love Her."

The evening featured a drummerless quartet billed as " Fearless Masters" and consisting of pianist and curator

Armen Donelian

piano
b.1950

" data-original-title="" title="">Armen Donelian, saxophonist and NEA Jazz Master

Dave Liebman

saxophone
b.1946

" data-original-title="" title="">Dave Liebman, bassist

Jay Anderson

bass
b.1955

" data-original-title="" title="">Jay Anderson and vocalist

Jay Clayton

vocals
1941 - 2023

" data-original-title="" title="">Jay Clayton. The set included standards such as "Lonely Woman" and "You Taught My Heart To Sing" as well as the poetry of E.E. Cummings set to vocals by Clayton.

Day three's performance displayed the worldwide trend of jazz intertwining with the music of other cultures.

Amir ElSaffar Two Rivers Ensemble

" data-original-title="" title="">Amir ElSaffar Two Rivers Ensemble with guest vocalist

Hamid Al-Saadi

" data-original-title="" title="">Hamid Al-Saadi presented the fusion of jazz with the traditional music of Iraq. The groups included

Amir ElSaffar

trumpet

" data-original-title="" title="">Amir ElSaffar on trumpet and santur,

Ole Mathiesen

" data-original-title="" title="">Ole Mathiesen on saxophone,

Francois Moutin

bass

" data-original-title="" title="">Francois Moutin on bass and

George Ziadeh

oud

" data-original-title="" title="">George Ziadeh on oud. Al Saadi is a master of maqam, a traditional Arabic music form.

The festival covered a wide swath of the music called jazz in the space of three days. Enjoy these photographs from this exciting event. View Slideshow

Amir ElSaffar and Ole Mathisen

Two Rivers Ensemble

Amir ElSaffar Two Rivers Ensemble

Jay Clayton, Jay Anderson, Dave Liebman

Dave Liebman with the Fearless Masters

The Fearless Masters

Armen Donelian with the Fearless Masters

Kirk Nurock, Lynn Arriale, Sullivan Fortner

Two Rivers Ensemble with Hamid AlSaadi

Hanid AlSaadi with George Ziadeh

Francois Moutin

Hamid AlSaadi

Jay Clayton with the Fearless Masters

Lynn Arriale

Sullivan Fortner

Lynn Arriale, Sullivan Fortner, Kirk Nurock-Piano Summit

Kirk Nurock

KIrk Nurock

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