Sample rips it up
by jefrygee on 2010-01-29Bears Den At Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel - Niagara FallsJoe Sample provided a memorable evening at the intimate Bears Den Theater in the Seneca Niagara Casino. First of all, the theater itself is fantastic. At a mere 440 seats, this theater provides a very intimate setting for an evening of jazz. There is truly not a bad seat in the house. Joe came onto the stage with his son Nick playing a stand-up bass and another guy (sorry but I can't remember his name) playing the drums. From the get go, Joe and the trio had the crowd in the palms of his hands. The result was a 90 plus minute show that was part music history lesson, part comedy routine and, all great music. At 71 years young, Joe showed that his still has the chops to keep up with his often complicated and physically demanding tunes. At times, I thought that there was someone offstage playing another piano. Complimented by the strong sideman with him, this was a great example of what an evening of jazz should sound like. Overall, an outstanding evening of entertainment. jefrygee