PRESS

First-Ever Easthampton Jazz Festival to Present Young, Local Musicians and Jazz Greats such as Andy Jaffe, Wallace Roney and Jimmy Greene
By Janice Beetle
Posted February 6, 2017 ​

EASTHAMPTON—The first-ever Easthampton Jazz Festival will bring young musicians and world-renowned talent to the stage on Saturday, March 4 from noon to 10 p.m., and event founder and chair Carol Abbe Smith is seeking sponsorships and donations to help defray ticket costs.
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The festival is divided into two performance events. An afternoon show will take place from noon to 5:30 p.m. at the 121 Club at Eastworks, with young, local musicians and singers to include Ginja Low Main; Kimaya Diggs and Friends; The Ellington Trio; Lizzie Meier, Stephen Kerr, and Mike Caudill; and the Darryl Kniffen Sextet.
http://www.beetlepress.com/first-ever-easthampton-jazz-festival-to-present-young-local-musicians-and-jazz-greats-such-as-andy-jaffe-wallace-roney-and-jimmy-greene/
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Review of Planet Kniffen's Debut Album ​DREAMLAND 
By Eugene Uman, director of Vermont Jazz Center and bandleader for Eugene Uman's Convergence Project

Kniffen writes music that takes us on welcome journeys: complex yet tuneful, its tuneful melodies are embedded in carefully crafted arrangements with highlighted spaces that feature the high-level musicianship of his killin' ensemble. Kniffen provides us with music that is both high energy and accessibility; he is masterful at creating compositions that are harmonically and rhythmically compelling, yet it's much bigger than that - like natural laws, his music satisfies a listener's quest for variety, energy and beauty. If I were to think of one phrase that describes Kniffen's approach it would be "well balanced." His compositions, his choice of musicians and his playing demonstrate intelligent complexity. When taken as a whole, Kniffen's music achieves a naturally balanced panorama that carefully juxtaposes, danceable grooves with dreamy landscapes, intense bebop-influenced instrumental outbursts with mind-calming pads. Kniffen's music is a manifestation of joy and deep reflection and it deserves to be heard. 
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Consider The Source, Felix Martin and Ampevene: PROG Rock Nation at The Hollow
MARCH 23, 2017 BY TIMOTHY BOPP

It was a night of pure psychedelic/prog rock heaven at The Hollow in Albany on Saturday, March 18 as the musical explorations of Ampevene, Felix Martin and NYC-based headliner Consider the Source took the stage to an enthusiastic crowd of the band’s faithful fans.

First to take the stage was Ampevene, a locally based quartet founded by guitarist Gabe Stallman. The band’s roster includes Mack Hogan on bass, Darryl Kniffen on drums/percussion, and Ava Smith on keyboards. Their sound is a self-described eclectic mix of free form frenzy, jagged riffs, and hypnotic rhythms. Ampevene was formed in 2013 and since it’s inception has played Albany’s coveted Lark Street festival in 2015. They also have produced three EPs, the latest of which is entitled Rometheu which the band chose as the opener for the show. It was one of the only times throughout the night they blended lyrics with the incredible instrumental skills of the band. One of the high points of the hour long set in my opinion was the use of imaginative sounds that were crafted by talented keyboardist Ava Smith. They provided a beautiful sonic layer that enhanced the psychedelic musical experience that Ampevene created early in the evening.
https://nysmusic.com/2017/03/23/consider-the-source-felix-martin-and-ampevene-prog-rock-nation/