Icelandic-Chinese singer-songwriter Laufey brings her sophisticated brand of pre-rock pop and jazz songs to the Mahaiwe in Great Barrington, Mass., tonight at 8. Raised between Reykjavík and Washington, D.C., Laufey makes music that is the byproduct of rich cultural heritages and mixed musical influences. Inspired in part by her mother, a classical violinist, Laufey took up piano and cello early on. But it wasn’t until deep-diving into her father’s record collection, consisting of jazz artists Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday, that she launched into her musical journey, resulting in her distinct blend of tender jazz melodies and slow-burning R&B grooves. (Fri, Apr 7)
A triple Grammy Award-winning artist with more than 40 recordings to his credit, John Scofield is a genre-hopping guitarist fluent in bebop, blues, jazz-funk, fusion, acoustic chamber jazz, electronically tinged groove music, jam band style and orchestral music. Scofield puts all this aside when he plays a rare solo gig at Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock, N.Y., tonight at 8. (Fri, Apr 7)
Dormeshia, whom the New York Times has labeled “the queen of tap,” brings her Dormeshia Tap Collective and a jazz trio to the Hunter Center at MASS MoCA in North Adams on Saturday at 8 p.m., in a program called Rhythm Is Life, copresented by Jacob’s Pillow. The recipient of two Bessie Awards, a Princess Grace Award, an Astaire Award, the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Award, as well as the Doris Duke Artist Award, Dormeshia is “so deeply versed in tap tradition and technique that she has the whole of it at her command,” says the Times. (Sat, Apr 8)
Melvin Seals & JGB keep the spirit of Jerry Garcia alive when they truck into Cohoes Music Hall in Cohoes, N.Y., on Saturday at 8 p.m. Melvin Seals is most revered for the powerful, high-spirited Hammond B-3 organ and keyboards he played in the Jerry Garcia Band. (Sat, Apr 8)
Canadian conductor Naomi Woo, the assistant conductor of the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, leads The Orchestra Now in a program featuring works by Bartók, Ravel, and Gabriela Lena Frank, at Bard’s Fisher Center on Saturday at 7 p.m. Soloists include Lincoln Center Emerging Artist Award winner Stella Chen, performing Bartók's Violin Concerto No. 2. (Sat, Apr 8)
Singer-songwriter Andrew Victor brings his gentle, intimate, original folk music to Down County Social Club at Race Brook Lodge in Sheffield, Mass., next Thursday, April 13, at 8 p.m. Victor reminds a listener of Jeff Buckley and Sam Smith. (Thu, Apr 13)
Seth Rogovoy is editor of the Rogovoy Report, available at rogovoyreport.substack.com.
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