Review: Livestream from Emmet's Place Finale - Oct. 6

Emmet Cohen (piano); Russell Hall (double bass, vocals); Joe Farnsworth (drums) + Patrick Bartley (alto sax, soprano sax); Tivon Pennicott (tenor sax); Benny Benack III (trumpet); Bruce Harris (trumpet); Joey Ranieri (double bass); Joe Saylor (drums); Mar Vilaseca (vocals); John Splithoff (vocals) + Kelvin Grant (vocals, livestream sound); Alex Weitz (tenor sax, livestream video design)

Livestreaming from Emmet's Place, one more time. Since pandemic times, Emmet Cohen has been streaming from his NYC apartment. Taking a leap into the unknown, pianist Cohen began with his iPhone propped up against a stack of books, inviting the lockdown world into his home. 

As Cohen's Monday evening sessions gained more and more online viewers - hundreds, then thousands - the technology improved to the point that his apartment took on the look of a professional studio. As Covid restrictions eased, Cohen invited some of his favourite musicians to join him. From week to week there was a never-ending list of A-list New Yorkers visiting his fifth floor apartment. Eventually, the world began to return to something like normal and Emmet Cohen hit the road. From lockdown isolation to performing at some of the biggest, most famous venues on the planet - Birdland, Newport Jazz Festival, Ronnie Scott's - Cohen had hit the big time. 

This evening's livestream would be the last. The party began at 7:00pm New York time, 12 midnight BST. In excess of 2000 logged-on worldwide to listen to/watch an array of talent one last time. Bassist Russell Hall had been there from day one, all of five and half years ago. The brilliant drummer Joe Farnsworth completed the house trio for the evening. From here on in, Cohen invited some of his many friends to join him: the sensational alto saxophonist Patrick Bartley, Tivon Pennicott (tenor sax), the wonderful trumpeter/vocalist Benny Benack III, trumpeter Bruce Harris (Louis Armstrong House program director) and many more, including two behind the scenes characters - Live from Emmet's Place livestream sound engineer and vocalist Kelvin Grant and livestream video designer and tenor saxophonist Alex Weitz. It was their moment in the spotlight. A nice touch.  

It was a joyful occasion, the participants almost demob happy. Handshakes, hugs, fist pumps, smiles and brilliant musicianship, one sensed this one last livestream could go way beyond the usual allotted time. And so it did. Here in the UK, starting at midnight, Emmet Cohen and friends played and played and played. The curtain came down one final time at 2:52am (BST). 

Live from Emmet's Place has introduced countless fabulous musician to the world, some legendary, some of the new generation of superstars: Sheila Jordan, Samara Joy, Lucy Yeghiazaryan, Benny Benack III, Anat Cohen, Warren Vache, Kurt Elling, Majedi Owuso, Theo Croker, Stella Cole and many more. Thanks Emmet, it's been a blast. Russell