Susan Whitall
The Detroit News
The Carolyn Striho-Rayse Biggs Project
The Carolyn Striho-Rayse Biggs Project show on the Mack Avenue Pyramid stage had to wait as trumpeter Rayse Biggs, surely one of the most in-demand players at the festival, rushed over from his gig with McKinfolks, on the Absopure Waterfront stage.
It was worth the wait for Biggs, as always, and for the project. I've seen Striho over the years, but until today, not this phase of her varied career. One of the joys of Jazzfest is being able to catch up on a lot of music at once, in one sprawling place. One of the tragedies is not being able to be in several places at one time.
Emcee John Penney, who starts a new WRCJ jazz show Saturday (7-9 p.m. on 90.9 FM), did his usual thoughtful job of describing music.
Speaking of the boundary-defying music the rock/punk singer/poet and the jazz trumpeter make, Penney said, "Is there jazz in it? Yes. Does it fit into a box? No."
Particularly fine was "Wade in the Water," which seemed to invite the rain to start coming down at around 3:30, and Striho's bluesy vocals on "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child."
