Last weekend I stumbled around Manhattan trying to take in the bonanza of the annual Winter Jazzfest. The event has expanded from two days to six, but its heart remains a two-night marathon spanning Friday and Saturday. This year more than 150 first-rate groups performed downtown at more than a dozen venues. Winter Jazzfest takes place during the annual conference of the Association of Performing Arts Presenters, where curators and programmers talk shop and check out artists who want the organization’s members to book or hire them. This can make the Winter Jazzfest function something like a bazaar, where browsing is encouraged—sets are sometimes disrupted by crowds entering or exiting during the music. On the plus side, though, there are few other opportunities anywhere in the world to hear so many groups in such a short time.
Ribot is hardly a singer, and his squawked lyrics seem to be his way of guaranteeing that this searing combo doesn’t sound like a nostalgia act. Even without his vocals, though, nobody could reasonably make that assumption—the Young Philadelphians play with walloping drive, searing tonal fury, and nonstop rhythmic intensity. Their set was far and away the most fun I had all weekend. Below you can check out the group’s version of “Love Rollercoaster,” from the 2016 album Live in Tokyo (Yellowbird).I also heard wonderful performances from cellist Tomeka Reid and her quartet, young trumpeter Adam O’Farrill and his tight-knit foursome, new-music percussion trio Tigue, bassist Michael Formanek and his killer quartet (featuring pianist Craig Taborn, saxophonist Tim Berne, and drummer Gerald Cleaver), and singer-harmonium player Amirtha Kidambi and her group Elder Ones. Naturally, I missed a lot I would’ve loved to see, but there are only so many hours in a Saturday evening.
