Nate Smith and Kinfolk 4/14/19 Yale Art Gallery Theater

YUJC is the Yale Undergraduate Jazz Collective, a bunch of well-connected nerds that put on an awesome free jazz festival every spring. In recent years, Nicholas Payton and piano giant Randy Weston have been on their bills. Drummer Smith and band; sax, organ, guitar, bass, and a young woman vocalist made up the sextet. Nate is a monster drummer with speedy fills and an odd style of cymbal muffling. He threw his tricep part of his arm to the far (audience) part of the cymbal which may have been more timing than musical effect. He took one solo with one arm, the other shading with a hand shaker. Sax ( soprano and alto), was helmed by young lion Jalil Shaw. More Cannonball than Coltrane, Shaw oozed a lot of notes into his solo spots. Did not recognize the big guy on organ, but he was very capable in his craft. The rhythm section of funk guitar and Brooklyn Funk Essentials bass player Fima Ephron, gave the sound a more funk-soul feel. The vocalist, while capable, seemed like a distracting add-on. I often have problems with jazz vocals. Even the late great Ella Fitzgerald recorded some questionable efforts ( are we to believe that Ella would say something like " you like oysters and I like ersters"?, please, just call the whole thing off). Smith's Grammy nominated effort Postcards was highlighted on this fine afternoon of jazz. Kudos to the nerds for arranging this annual event.