As pianist-in-residence at this year’s Detroit Jazz Festival, Jason Moran (photo above) gave three performances. One of them featured John Coltrane’s “After the Rain.” In a review, AllAboutJazz‘s Paul Rauch, pointing out that “After the Rain” is “one of Coltrane’s most memorable composed melodies,” added that “Moran offered an interpretation accented by his own virtuosity and deep understanding of the tune. It set the bar high for the remainder of his 90-minute set, and, frankly, maintained its position as the highlight.”
Another memorable concert at the festival was guitarist John Scofield (photo below), leading a quartet with his regular bassist and drummer, Vicente Archer and Bill Stewart, respectively, and special guest, trumpeter Nicholas Payton. Scofield, Rauch wrote, “was at his usual best, combining his incredible talent with his penchant for having fun in the moment.”
When Jersey Jazz interviewed Scofield in October 2024 in connection with his performance at the Newton (NJ) Theatre, he spoke about the brilliance of his sidemen. “I love the way Vicente plays,” he said, “He’s a real open player who can really walk and swing. He straddles a bunch of stuff. We can play some funk stuff with him but, to me, it sounds absolutely at home. And, Bill Stewart is one of the great jazz drummers I’ve ever played with. He’s spoiled me over the years. He’s so good at making the music move.”
The Detroit Jazz Festival was held from August 29-September 1 at Hart Plaza on the campus of Wayne State University.
PHOTOS BY TONY GRAVES
