Tag: Jonas Kullhammar

The jazz pass is still a great deal so you won’t hear me complaining about the relative lack of the off beat. We stayed away from the big shows like k.d. lang, Elvis Costello and Bela Fleck and managed to find some great music every night of the nine day fest even if it meant hearing Jonas Kullhammar two nights in a row. I tracked the fest The Refrigerator for anyone who cares about this stuff.

After Norway’s “In The Country” set last night Peggi and I stopped over at Abilene to have a drink celebrate the end of the fest. I didn’t notice who was playing there but I’m guessing it was some shit kicking stuff. This is based entirely on the biker babe who came out of the back room all sweaty and ordered a shot of cherry vodka while we were talking to Olga at the bar. We skirted the crowds in the streets as we walked to the car and we were blown away by the mad sounds bouncing off the buildings, a mix whoever the extremely loud Budos Band in the tent, 38 Special on the Chestnut Street Stage and G Love & Special Sauce on the Alexander Street stage. That was some off beat stuff!

Jonas charms the crowd between songs and refers to us as the “beautiful people of Rochester.” Jonas Kullhahhar Quartet have been playing together for thirteen years or so and are widely considered Sweden’s best jazz band. If they lived in the states they would be one of our best jazz bands. They’ve been at this festival three times now and we can’t get enough of them.

The piano, bass and drum rhythm section takes off like a rocket and the band is an exhilarating full tilt for most numbers. But their joyous, fresh, crisp playing is also giving way to slower, moodier, seasoned compositions with plenty of space for gorgeous piano, big bass lines and bare hand drumming. They may have stole the festival again this year. They’re playing again tonight at Max’s.