The Exit Zero Jazz Festival, held May 5-7, 2023 in the nation’s oldest ocean resort, Cape May, NJ featured second-line parades, packed clubs, a sun-splattered, ocean-facing deck filled with dancing patrons, and a sold-out Convention Hall. For all the good vibes, just one small regret – that it was held mostly indoors although the balmy outdoor temps made for a perfect outdoor festival. No worries there however as the festival is scheduled to return outdoors to Ferry Park in 2024. Nonetheless, with the main activities centered around Convention Hall, fans had opportunities to walk the beach and enjoy the weather. This writer was in attendance on Friday and Saturday, shared some meals with friends, met many jazz lovers, and witnessed the acts below.
Friday – The Convention Hall program kicked off with the women-led ensemble Okan, an Afro-Cuban, Toronto-based group that won a Juno Award in 2020 for Best World Music Album for Espiral. Kicking off at noon on Friday was the first of four performances for the band which also played the big hall later that afternoon and two sets on the Convention Hall Deck on Saturday.
Fronting the quintet was the loquacious and talented violinist-vocalist Elizabeth Rodriguez and percussionist-vocalist Magdelys Savigne, a great high-energy act to commence the festival. As with Cuban traditions Rodriquez implored audience participation with singalong “Yemaya,” salsa tune “No Volvi,” and the blistering tempo run through “Cumba, Cumba.” At one point during the show, Rodriquez reflected on her first impressions of living in Canada, commenting, “better living in cold than under a dictatorship.” Arguably, though smaller, the Deck proved to even better venue for the group as their two sets were packed with standing and dancing audiences.
Jazz vocalist Brianna Thomas followed with a mix of originals and standards in her bluesy style, demonstrating breath-taking command of dynamics, and a warm, engaging personality. She fronted a backing quintet of piano, drums, percussion, bass, and alto saxophone. Thomas can swing, scat, and purr with the best of jazz vocalists and the classic influences of Ella, Sarah, and Dinah are very evident in her set that drew strong reactions to “Why Not,” “I Keep My Stove in Good Condition,” and up-tempo “Don’t Let the Sun Catch You Crying,” “Maybe,” and her gospel-infused original, the closer “Even When.” The Ocean Avenue Stompers, a newly formed band from Asbury Park, NJ led the second line parade and proceeded to do two sets on Convention Deck, with the audience enjoying such classic New Orleans favorites as “Iko, Iko,” “Mardi Gras in New Orleans,” and many more.
Friday evening was billed almost in jest as “The Battle of the Bands – Philly vs. New Orleans” with Orrin Evans Philly Jawn and Adonis Rose & The Crescent City All Stars. Evans on piano and electric piano-led Philly Jawn with trombonist Robin Eubanks, EWI player John Swana, bassist Mike Boone, drummer Justin Faulkner, and vocalist Bilal. The EWI and trombone alone created intriguing harmonics, and when paired with Bilal’s wordless vocals, it became an intriguing three-horn-like front line. The audience reaction was, compared to other performances, a bit tepid as they seemed caught off guard by the music, which while creative, was not fully accessible. Bilal‘s vocals were mostly pitched in a falsetto range and even within the same song, he delivered both lyrics and vocalese. Nonetheless, his performances were among the most memorable with “Will You Believe,” Call Me,” and “All Will Be Revealed.” Eubanks had a mesmerizing trombone solo on his original, ‘Pentacourse.”
Adonis Rose & The Crescent City All Stars, an eight-piece unit, on the other hand, immediately won the crowd over by starting their set with Neville Brothers chestnut “Fiyo on the Bayou” and more danceable fare such as “Hip Shakin’ Mama,” the slow blues of “Don’t You Need Me,” and standing ovation for the vocal-piano duet ballad, with vocalist Quiana Lynell, who was a captivating presence throughout the set.
Also, during the day and evening, there were performances at Rotary Park and two rooms at Carney’s, the latter just three blocks from Convention Hall. There were some magical moments at the jam session at Carney’s which along with the Imani All Stars, led by bassist Jonathan Michel, featured appearances by pianists Orrin Evans and Mathis Picard, bassists Barry Stephenson and Mike Boone, drummers Vince Ector and Justin Faulkner, and an over-the-top improvised vocal blues duet between Bilal and Lynell.
Saturday – Convention Hall shows began with a Jazz at Lincoln Center-sponsored collective of musicians dubbed Young Monk. Their performance drew rave reactions and a mid-set standing ovation from the audience, many of whom were obviously familiar with the Monk tunes such as “Friday the 13th,” ‘Off Minor,” Stuffy Turkey,” “Ruby My Dear,” and more. Led by vibraphonist Joel Ross, the group was comprised of pianist Picard, bassist Stephenson, drummer Domo Branch, and alto saxophonist Zoe Obadia, with shining turns from all, and especially Obadia on “Ruby, My Dear.”
Latin jazz was the main course for the afternoon, first with Charlie Sepulveda & the Turnaround. Trumpeter Sepulveda is a Latin Grammy winner and his sextet boasted very solid as he mixed Latin jazz with hard bop and with styles and songs of his native Puerto Rico, including a stirring ballad, sung by his wife, Natalia Mercado. This band was SWINGING and the unison passages from trumpet and tenor as well as the solos were first-rate throughout.
That set the stage for one of the best orchestral performances this writer has witnessed, that of multiple Grammy winners, Arturo O’Farrill & The Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra, a 24-piece big band that delivered a master class in harmony, dynamics, and changes with totally riveting and exciting music. Watching the animated O’Farrill conduct from his piano chair, sometimes standing, and sometimes walking away from the piano to front the orchestra was a visual treat. The sound was immaculate – kudos to meeting the challenge of that mixing job. Trumpeter Jim Seeley especially impressed on a tune that he wrote with Wynton Marsalis while O’Farrill charmed with his own compositions, those of his dad, Chico, and “Mama Africa,” from Chucho Valdes.
To close the program, O’Farrill declared that he was putting each orchestra member ‘in danger’ as he asked for solos from each. Needless to say, they executed with aplomb and brought the whole set to an explosive climax which left the audience standing in applause for what felt like a full five minutes. As my friend said, “That was in your face, in a good way.”
While waiting for Samara Joy’s set we retreated to the Deck for Brassville, a seven-piece NOLA-like brass band unit from Nashville who somehow sustained that remarkable energy from O’Farrill’s set for over an hour. Sponsor Heart of Jazz then presented vibraphonist Warren Wolf and Friends, featuring pianist Alex Brown, drummer Eric Kennedy, and bassist Blake Meister. Wolf and his ensemble took us through a “history” of major vibraphonists from Lionel Hampton to Milt Jackson, Bobby Hutcherson, Gary Burton, Cal Tjader, and, in a nod to R&B, set closer and crowd singalong “Sunshine,” from Roy Ayers. Yet, there was one more as Orrin Evans and bassist John Patitucci joined Wolf and Kennedy for a jam. Expect the unexpected at Exit Zero.
Speaking of which, expectations ran high for one of today’s hottest jazz stars, Samara Joy, who took the stage Saturday evening. In less than a year Joy has changed her backing unit to a piano rather than guitar-based and has broadened her repertoire from the Great American Songbook to tunes written by Monk, Fats Navarro, Betty Carter, among others while taking inspiration from the late Barry Harris and others. Her backing trio was pianist Connor Rohner, bassist Mike Migliore, and drummer Evan Sherman. Interestingly, only Sherman, her principal arranger, remained from the backing trio at her weeklong residency at the Village Vanguard just a week prior.
Joy has already mastered convivial banter with the audience and took the time to explain why she chose particular compositions. It’s both her respectful demeanor and her incredible range that are her major assets. While her phrasing is excellent, it’s quite revealing to think it will only improve from here. Highlights were just about everything she sang, but these stood out – the Sarah Vaughan-inspired “Can’t Get Out of This Mood,” “Stardust,” Betty Carter’s “Let It Go,” the Barry Harris-inspired “Now and Then”, the monk medley “Worry Later” into ‘Round Midnight,” ‘Linger Awhile,” and the best of all, the Nancy Wilson associated “Guess Who I Saw Today.” Joy’s progress, observed by this writer in less than a year from last August at Newport, is staggering and frightening when realizing she is only getting started.
Exit Zero Jazz, held twice a year, returns November 9-12 and already has lined up Omara Portuondo, Abdullah Ibrahim, Etienne Charles, and Harold Lopez-Nussa. Visit www.exitzerojazzfestival.com for more details.
