Jazz Trail returning to Olcott on Sunday

Thomas Tedesco, Lockport Union-Sun & Journal, N.Y.
·2 min read

Aug. 31—Jazz will be making its return to Olcott on Sunday to help cap off a summer's worth of festivities.

The annual Olcott Beach Jazz Trail, a day-long festival established in 2017, features 90-minute performances by five different jazz groups that include local and regional talent alike. Performances will be held on two different stages at the Lakeview Village Shoppes on Ontario Street and at the Olcott Gazebo on Main Street.

"All these guys are world class musicians," jazz trail chairman Jim Sansone said. "They've all played with different kinds of well known or famous bands."

Last year's festival drew about 8,000 jazz enthusiasts from throughout western and central New York. With a seasonably sunny and warm weather forecast for Sunday, Sansone said they are hoping to build off last year's strong showing.

"It's a community event to bring people in and showcase Olcott," he said.

Every year, the jazz trail aims to provide an intimate atmosphere for the festival experience by bringing the crowd closer to the musicians performing on stage, set to the back drop of Lake Ontario.

"You construct your setup to create a certain mood and create a certain atmosphere," Sansone explained.

Local player Danny Hull and Friends will kick off the festival with a set from noon to 1:30 p.m at Lakeview Village Shoppes. Hull has backed up several notable jazz musicians over his decades-long career including JUNO Award-winning saxophonist Pat La Barbera, who performed at the 2019 jazz trail.

Following the performance by Hull and Friends will be The Brendan Lanighan Octet at the Main Street gazebo from 1:45 to 3:15 p.m.

"That's straight ahead jazz that features all originals and/or arrangements by Brendan. He's a fantastic trombone player," Sansone said.

Back at Lakeview Village Shoppes will be New York City-based outfit Tres Mais from 3:30 to 5 p.m.

Following their performance, the festival will close out with back-to-back performances at the gazebo.

The first of those will feature the Heather Bambrick Quintet. Bambrick, a JUNO Award nominee, also is an on-air personality with the jazz radio station 91.1-FM CJRT in Toronto.

The day of music will finish off in a big way with a performance by the Western New York Big Band from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

Sansone, a jazz trumpeter himself, isn't sure whether he will be sitting in with any of the groups this year, but he is greatly anticipating the performances.

"Every year has been wonderful, but I think this is the best lineup we've ever had," he said.