Rick Germanson and Friends
Sunset Sounds Series
Butler-McCook House
Hartford
Sept. 12, 2024
Butler-McCook House is a hidden gem right outside of downtown Hartford. I’d walked past its telltale yellow facade literally thousands of times without stepping in before, until I attended the finale of the Sunset Sounds Series.
Behind the house was a garden unlike any I’d ever seen in downtown Hartford. It felt like entering the enchanted wood in Tuck Everlasting, except that it wasn’t a secret.
I was one of dozens of people who had come to see Rick Germanson and Friends perform their own take on jazz. We had all passed through the portal, away from the concrete jungle and into a scene from the past, where nature ran wild.
Past the flowers and shrubs was a clearing where the audience had gathered, and a white tent that the performers had gathered under. The band’s namesake was seated to the left in front of a keyboard. Nat Reeves was centered in the tent with his bass, ready to go.
The star of the show was Steve Little playing on the drums.
I began to wonder if I had in fact magically stumbled into the pages of Natalie Babbitt’s literary masterpiece when I learned that Little had played with Duke Ellington — yes, that Duke Ellington — and had been a part of the original house band for Sesame Street. Little is only a few months short of his 90th birthday. Despite his age, or perhaps because of it, he was ready to rock out.
The music for the evening alternated between two configurations of the band. The first was a trio that featured Germanson, Reeves and Little. Gernanson isn’t quite as experienced as Little, but his 30 years of piano playing made him a virtuosic performer. The keys danced beneath his fingers as he teased out the melody of the music in real time. It felt less like a display of improvisational talent, more like Germanson was coaxing out the theme of the piece with each downbeat. Reeves and Little provided expert accompaniment, laying down a brisk rhythm for Germanson to explore.
In the other configuration, horn players joined the ensemble. Germanson’s friends played a song called “Big,” which captured the whimsy of the forested location for the concert and gave each performer a chance to shine.
The concert at the Butler-McCook House captured the elements of jazz that go beyond the sound. The various members of the musical group just plain looked cool as they thrilled the crowd. Their sound created a bubble that surrounded the garden; for just about an hour, we were teleported away from the monotony of honking horns and the shrill shrieks of emergency vehicles. It truly did feel like magic, and I was glad that I’d finally made it out for the last show of the series.
NEXT
This time for real, Jamil is taking it easy. See you next week!
