'New York's alright, if you like saxophones" went the 1980s song by the California punk band Fear. Punk had its heyday, but it's the saxophones that are still blowing strong.
For proof, you have to go no farther than Duke Performance's sax fest, celebrating the very foundation of modern jazz. Three young saxophonists, representing a diverse future of the genre, and their bands will play over the three days of the annual WAIL! Jazz Saxophone Festival.
On Thursday, Miguel Zenon, a Guggenheim and MacArthur award winner who was up for two Grammy Awards last month, plays with his Esta Plena Septet and three vocalists. The next evening, Rudresh Mahanthappa and his Indo-Pak Coalition perform their blend of New York bebop and Mumbai ragas. Ravi Coltrane, of course, is the son of sax legend John Coltrane and pianist Alice Coltrane, and is a veteran of the New York jazz scene. His quartet performs Saturday.
