Photographs by Rudy Lu
America’s classical music in its many forms was celebrated last month at the 12th annual Transart Jazz in the Valley Festival at its new location, Waryas Park in Poughkeepsie. The scenic location in between the Mid Hudson Bridge and the Hudson River Walkway served as a perfect backdrop for a wide stylistic variety of jazz acts, including the post-bop stylings of the Cookers and We Four, B3 organ jazz served up by Hudson Valley local Mike Torzone and all-round entertainer Lou Donaldson, piano virtuoso Helen Sung with her quartet, the multi-generational Latin jazz orchestra Zon Del Barrio and the jazz-funk of Lou Donaldson and Les McCann.
Mike Torzone opened both days with a different band for each day. Tenor sax virtuoso Javon Jackson also performed double duty playing in We Four and with Les McCann.
The splendid weather was a bonus. And the festival promises to be a splendid annual event – one of the many reasons it’s great to be in upstate New York in the summer.
ALSO SEE:
More of Rudy Lu’s photographs here and here at Albany Jazz
