The City of Rochester.com - Rochester ROC'ed News

Amidst the mounting swirl of controversy over President Obama’s decision to escalate the U.S.’s military presence in Afghanistan (not to mention ongoing developments in debates over health care and climate change), the New York State Senate created a furor of its own this week with its 38-to-24 vote to reject a bill that would have made New York the sixth state to legalize gay marriage.

Melt Banana has long shown an unparalleled capacity for crafting music with texture, depth, and color (not to mention heaps of personality) out of what is essentially a noise/grindcore palette. On its new album, Melt Banana Lite Live: ver. 0.0, the band gets its grip around the slippery power of free-form jazz in its typically unique, trailblazing way.

On Wednesday night at Kilbourn Hall, composer/conductor Dave Rivello will lead the Eastman New Jazz Ensemble in a tribute to veteran valve trombonist/composer Bob Brookmeyer in honor of Brookmeyer's 80th birthday. The concert program consists entirely of Brookmeyer compositions, as well as five premiere arrangements of “Happy Birthday.” Brookmeyer himself – who has played with Gerry Mulligan, Stan Getz, Chet Baker, Clark Terry, and the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra – will also play the concert.

In case you haven’t noticed the ads beaming the slogan “I AM GAY” from billboards and city buses, they’re the work of the We Are Part Of You campaign to promote awareness of the African American male gay population.