Downtown Comes Uptown – Rubenstein Atrium – April 26, 2018
Because uptown isn’t sufficiently alt-; there’s a feeder program from Rockwell Music Hall so that the uptown crowd doesn’t have to descend into the hurly-burly (I’m projecting here, having never been to Rockwell). Four musical acts performing a sampler of three tunes each – hardly enough time to do sketch justice to the ensembles, but I like the challenge of the impossible. Opener McFerrin is yes, daughter of famed Bobby (and likewise performs barefoot). This was a powerhouse “solo” a capella presentation, using a voice-looping gizmo (I’m not up on all the latest) to build a chorus of her lovely pipes. Next was the trio House of Waters featuring a hammered dulcimer jam session. Third was solo John Fullbright, and the closer was Elizabeth & the Catapult (sorry drummer, no time left for you) with some nice evanescent tunes of sophisticated compositional complexity folded into a pop sensibility.