Written By: Jake Perlmutter Photos By: Scott Harris

The charming Colon opened with a gorgeous cover of Bonnie Raitt “I Can’t Make You Love Me.” Colon’s beautiful tenor voice transitioned unbelievably well into falsetto as he sang with incredible power. His strong performance reminded me of R&B greats, such as Sam Cooke and R Kelly. He played an acoustic-electric guitar during his set while accompanied by a pianist who sang supporting harmonies. The soulful Colon told personal stories in between songs, which not only strengthened the meaning of his lyrics, but also allowed the audience to relate with him. After telling his audition story for The Voice and how it “changed his life,” he had to give us a taste of it with “Time After Time.” Smooth finger picking tones resonated very well with quick hammer-ons and pull-offs during his songs, especially when he ended with James Taylor’s “Your Smiling Face.”

After a short intermission, it was time for the world renowned Branford Marsalis to grace us with his musical gift. The on-stage chemistry with pianist Joey Calderazzo was evident, as they used improvisational techniques during their set. At the beginning of the jazz standards they played, Calderazzo would start alone, setting a classic New Orleans swing time foundation. Marsalis would listen and tap his foot to the beat, and after digesting the material for a few minutes, he would stand up and rip through scales on his tenor saxophone; it was very impressive and the crowd admired his ability.

The highlight of the concert was when Branford Marsalis invited Javier Colon back on stage for a R&B-jazz hybrid of Jeff Buckley’s “Hallelujah.” Javier Colon’s tenor voice effortlessly riffed through verses – he has fantastic control. After Colon would riff (vocally), Marsalis would play the exact notes he sang, no matter how quick Colon sang them. This really showcased the amazing ability of Marsalis’s musical and pitch tones as he was doing this on the spot, immediately after Colon sang.

It was a night to remember at The Capitol Theatre, and I hope to see more Jazz there in the future.

 

The Capitol Theatre Photo Gallery

Photos by: Scott Harris

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