Join WXXI Classical host Mona Seghatoleslami at Granite Mills Park in High Falls for Hochstein at High Falls, a free lunchtime concert series, hosted by WXXI, The Hochstein School, and the High Falls Business Association. Mona welcomes a new band to the park every Thursday in August. Please note: This is a live concert series, and will not be broadcast on WXXI radio.
Concerts begin at 12:10 pm at the Granite Mills Park near the Pont de Rennes Bridge. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own seating and lunch, or pick up a lunch at the many area restaurants. Each performance will run approximately 50 minutes. Please note: we will be monitoring requirements for public events and will be following New York State guidelines.
August 5: Hanna PK Duo
Thursday, August 5; 12:10 pm; Granite Mills Park, Platt/Browns Race, Rochester, NY; free.
Hanna PK channels a wide variety of the blues, from pre-war styles to ‘50s and ‘60s Chicago blues to boogie-woogie, as well as influences from jazz and swing. People often use the expression ‘tickling the ivories,’ but if you see the way Hanna plays, it’s anything but tickling. Her solid left hand reflects on those traditional blues masters’ rocking and shuffling bass patterns, while her right hand grooves along, dancing all over those 88s, and also adding her sultry voice. In June 2018, Hanna and guitarist Aleks Disljenkovic won first place at Memphis Bound and represented Western New York at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tenn., in January 2019.
August 12: Jackson Cavalier
Thursday, August 12; 12:10 pm; Granite Mills Park, Platt/Browns Race, Rochester, NY; free.
Voted numerous times as Rochester’s Best Busker, Jackson Cavalier combines blues, folk, country, bluegrass, and Americana. Playing as a one-man band on harmonica, guitar, drums, and singing all at once, Jackson has cultivated a following as a busker with his reimagined covers and poignant original compositions. “He's a dynamic, exciting musician, who combines different styles of music and literary influences into really cool, compelling songs,” says WXXI’s Mona Seghatoleslami.
August 19: The White Hots
Thursday, August 19; 12:10 pm; Granite Mills Park, Platt/Browns Race, Rochester, NY; free.
Named for one of Rochester’s gastronomic specialties, The White Hots are a blues, swing, and jazz group who perform everything from mellow instrumental music to swing dances with a full band. Musicians and music critics rave about them, dancers swing to them, and people who just like interesting music love their live shows and CDs. The band includes Tina Albright, vocals; Ted Mosher, bass; Aleksandar Disljenkovic, guitar; Steve Greene, guitar; Bill Blind, percussion.
August 26: The Mambo Kings
Thursday, August 26; 12:10 pm; Granite Mills Park, Platt/Browns Race, Rochester, NY; free.
Together since 1995, the Mambo Kings are enjoying great success as Upstate New York’s foremost Latin jazz ensemble, and have rapidly earned a national reputation for their explosive blend of Afro-Cuban rhythms and jazz improvisation. They have appeared in Pops concerts with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as orchestras in Baltimore, Vancouver, Detroit, Dallas, Naples (FL), and Portland (OR), The band consists of Mambo Kings’ musical director and pianist Richard DeLaney, percussionist Freddy Colón, saxophonist John Viavattine, bassist Hector Diaz, and percussionist Tony Padilla.
