SNOWBIRD JAZZ AND BLUES FESTIVAL, featuring Koko Taylor and Sergio Mendes , July 26 and 27, Snowbird Event Center.
At the 15th Snowbird Jazz and Blues Festival, it wasn't the headliners who stole the show, it was the opening acts.
Sure, blues queen Koko Taylor charmed the audience with her confident sass and crisp vocals on Friday night. But guitar master Walter Trout was the man of the hour.
And while Latin jazz king Sergio Mendes and his band Brasil 2002 gave out some clean grooves on Saturday, it was the opening acts — jazz pianist Rob Mullins and vocalist Mickey Rhyne — who really brought the festival to a new level with some far-out improvisations.
Friday's show kicked off with some fun, irreverent blues as Saffire the Uppity Blues Women — comprised of guitarist Gaye Adegbalola, upright bassist Andra Faye and pianist Ann Rabson — got its groove on with such crafty tunes as Rabson's "Love Song (Ode to George)," which was reminiscent of Randy Newman's "You Got a Friend in Me" and added just a dash of Beethoven's "Ode to Joy."
Adegbalola got the audience laughing and singing with her double-edged lyrics as she dedicated one tune, "Silver Beaver," to her mother.
By the time Water Trout & the Radicals stepped onto the stage, the audience was in the mood for some more front-porch jams. Trout did more. His set skyrocketed the audience into nirvana. The guitarist poured his soul into his instrument, which cut deep into the concertgoers' spirits.
One highlight was a gutsy, throbbing tribute to the late John Lee Hooker, one of Trout's mentors; "Love Is So Deep" laid the perfect foundation for Trout's snaky guitar work.
When Taylor's band set up shop, it was welcomed with a standing ovation. But the music was somewhat lacking in emotion.
Saturday's show took on the same pattern. Opening acts Rob Mullins (the piano prince) and smoky vocalist Mickey Rhyne — playing with Salt Lake's own bassist Matt Larson and drummer Jay Lawrence — captured the feel of free-form jazz. And a nifty vocal-led cover of Dave Brubeck's "Take Five," which was arranged only five hours prior, capped off the set.
The Larry Jackstien Trio, featuring Lawrence and Larson and pianist/event organizer Jackstien, kicked off the show with mellow takes on Cole Porter's "What Is This Thing Called Love" and "I Love Paris." The set really mellowed when the group added guitarist Doug McDonald and the smooth vocals of Jack Wood.
Just before Mendes emerged, the legendary Cedar Walton Trio, with saxophonist Red Holloway, gave the audience another shot of off-the-cuff improvisation with the pianist's interpretation of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" and "Prophet Speaks."
Mendes' trademark Brazilian rhythms were great, but compared to the earlier acts' improv-laced sets, his segment seemed a bit contrived.
E-MAIL: scott@desnews.com