Ronnie Leigh, live at Tokyo-Seoul (with MG3)
Our performance of the week goes to Ronnie Leigh and Melissa Gardiner’s MG3. Below is a clip from their final number (Aint Misbehavin‘ with Leigh on vocals), which is so rich and velvety it gets stuck between your ears.
Thanks again to Byron Cage for the invite.
Melissa Gardiner, Will Gorman and Ronnie Leigh, along with Byron Cage (not pictured) served up a hot set at Tokyo-Seoul last night.
We got to see a few generations of musical performers at Melissa Gardiner’s gig at Tokyo-Seoul last night. Her MG3 band, along with veteran vocalist Ronnie Leigh, made for a sweltering combination.
Leigh, who is the equivalent of a made guy in the music scene here (our version of Tony Bennett), has been around for years and has multiple SAMMY Awards. But don’t let his musical mileage fool you however, because he still had enough in reserve to close the show with a Fats Waller cut (“Aint Misbehavin”) that had the ebbing energy of a strong summer storm.
Our take-away question is this: has anyone recorded these sessions (which began in December)? They would make a great compilation CD.
Jake Ford was called up to share the Tokyo-Seoul stage with MG3 on Thursday.
You have to be secure with your art & abilities to let someone share your stage. We thought it big-hearted for Melissa Gardiner and her new power group,MG3 (Gardiner, Gorman & Cage), to shine some light on guitarist Jake Ford last night. Ford sat in briefly during the MG3 + Ronnie Leigh show at Tokyo Seoul.
This is only our second time seeing the Third Thursday’s series, but generally when it comes to the Syracuse scene, established musicians are quick to show love to up-and-coming talent.
Sketches of Tokyo-Seoul with Melissa Gardiner (top left)
The Melissa Gardiner Group: Gardiner on trombone and vocals, Byron Cage on drums, Will Gorman on keys, and August Cook on tenor sax, took Christmas music deep into the shed during the inaugural performance for the Tokyo-Seoul music series Saturday night. They added some spice to standards to the delight of a packed dining room that featured musicians, educators and jazz fans.
Guest vocalists for the kick-off included the sassy duo, Angky & Mary Rose, and the sophisticated/sentimental sounds of Gabrielle Gorman (a Nancy Kelly protégé)
Melissa Gardiner Group cooking at the Sushi Bar
The series is scheduled to continue every fourth Thursday thru May.
Band stand, Tokyo-Seoul