David Sanborn Trio and Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue Cleveland Tri C Jazz Fest 27 April 2012, State Theater at Playhouse Square

Friday night’s Jazz Fest Concert at the State Theater featured two distinctively different performers. What they have in common is an abundance of talent, solid players behind them, and loyal fans.

Opening the show was the David Sanborn Trio, led by the long time sax player who has been a force not only in jazz but rock for the last forty years. Many Clevelanders, whether they knew it or not, first heard Sanborn when he played the terrific sax solo on the studio version of the Michael Stanley classic “Let’s Get the Show on the Road,” from Stanley’s 1973 Friends and Legends album. His hour long opening set found him backed by his long time organist (and a jazz legend in his own right) Joey DeFrancesco, and Jeremy Thomas. Thomas was making his debut as Sanborn’s drummer but you would not have known it if Sanborn had not mentioned it. His play was solid and consistent. DeFrancesco almost stole the show, with a steady stream of solos as well as his well-received lead vocals on Louis Jordan’s “Let the Good Times Roll.”

And Sanborn was Sanborn, playing one sax solo after another in the six song set. He also added some great story telling, as he appeared to be very comfortable in front of the audience. His story of his first meeting with Tommy LiPuma was outstanding.

I was a little surprised that Sanborn and his trio opened the show, but that’s because I had never seen Trombone Shorty and his band live before. After I did the lineup made sense. While Sanborn had the crowd glued in their seats listening to every note, Shorty and his band Orleans Avenue had the audience up and dancing in the aisles for most of their set.

I have been told by several people whose music opinions I highly regard that Trombone Shorty might be “the next big thing.” After finally seeing him perform live, I agree. His set was outstanding. Backed by a six piece band of guitar, bongos, bass, drums, and two saxophones, Shorty really ripped it up. Whether it was on trumpet, trombone, vocals, or leading the band, all of it was outstanding. I started jotting down the influences I heard in Shorty’s music. The list included Johnny Guitar Watson, the Nevilles, al Hirt, Little Feat, the Tower of Power, Tommy Dorsey, Cab Calloway, the Allman Brothers, Willie Nelson, Santana, Louis Armstrong, George Benson, EWF, the Blues Brothers, and Charles Wright and the Watts 103 Street Rhythm Band. And I’m sure there are dozen more.

Shorty had the audience in the palm of his hand, whether it was during a wonderful version of “Sunny Side of the Street”; imitating Louis Armstrong or leading the band through the audience during “When the Saints Go Marching In”; channeling John Beluschi during a rowdy version of “Everbody Needs Somebody”; or leading the audience in some Cab Calloway yodeling. It was all great stuff.

I know Aretha was good during opening night, and Diana Krall is always entertaining, and there has been nothing but praise for all of the Jazz Fest activities this year, but the highlight for the 2012 Tri C Jazz Fest for many had to be Friday night’s Sanborn/Trombone Shorty doubleheader.