Vorcza at the 2025 Burlington Vermont Discover Jazz Festival

Vorcza
Flynn Space
Discover Jazz Festival
Burlington, Vermont
June 5, 2025

Vorcza's early evening performance in Burlington, Vermont's Flynn Space June 5 carried more than a few distinctions. It represented the instrumental trio's first official Discover Jazz Festival show since 2022 and it was the initial offering at the intimate venue of this year's annual five-date run.

Perhaps most important of all, especially for the attendees who comfortably filled seats at tables and in rows around the low-ceilinged room, it was the very first Vorcza concert ever in the format of acoustic piano, double bass and drums.

Still, that's not to say that the group's earlier integration of electric instruments has not left its imprint on their musicianship in this more subdued setting. In particular, keyboardist Ray Paczkowski's application of his versatile touch on Hammond organ and clavinet—the likes of which grace the Trey Anastasio Band, Soule Monde and Lamp—carries over into the way he so often holds and bends notes on the piano's keys (and at times under the lid of the instrument as well, as on his own composition "Goya").

For his part, composer and bassist Robinson Morse plays hard on the strings of his upright acoustic instrument, stretching and plucking in such a way that his patterns often took prominence in the mix. While that might've been a detriment to the music in other settings, this night it was not (except when, on occasion, it superseded the ringing tones of the ivories).

In fact, the vigor Morse applied to his instrument at his (fitting) position stage center may well have been the impetus for drummer Gabe Jarrett to feel sufficiently free to move all around his kit. He tossed out multiple abstract fills and emphatic progressions, yet he always helped nail the cold stops to tunes like "Adios Pinochet."

Vorcza was hardly tentative in beginning its roughly hour-long set, but certainly hit a collective stride at about the half-way point. The threesome had at first basked in the glow of Flynn Center director of programming Matt Rogers' effusive introduction, but then thoroughly warmed up themselves and the audience with some patient rounds of compact renditions of original material and Eric Dolphy's "Hat and Beard."

In keeping with the subtle approach Vorcza maintained, the shift in drive was almost but not quite imperceptible. During Sun Ra's "Call For The Demons," for example, each of the three had ample opportunity to display their individual personalities as well as the group chemistry. Even after a quarter century of existence, the earthy elegance of Vorcza abides, despite the somewhat sporadic occurrence of live shows in recent years, as each man has pursued separate projects.

An upbeat take on Morse's "Elements" solidified that impression. It was notably just one of multiple instances of gratified grins around the bandstand as their unity manifested itself. Hard to hear as they were (because of the applause?), the hirsute pianist's modest introductions of his bandmates and the selections they played certified Vorcza's down-to-earth accessibility.

Contrary to the otherwise garish, impersonal decor of Flynn Space, the trio forsook melodrama even as it finished so emphatically with "Three Car Church,." But then Vorcza has never cottoned to faux showmanship during the course of their existence since the early 2000s and this early summer evening was no exception.

Forgoing a too-often strained observance of show biz custom for exit, then reentry, as prelude to encore, Paczkowski, Morse and Jarrett humbly accepted the standing ovation they had earned (while the latter smilingly took a photo of the crowd). Consequently, it was perfectly appropriate to witness the three subsequently leaving the stage as they came, quietly and without fanfare.

Upon their exit, however, Vorcza radiated a noticeable and fully justified pride in how they had comported themselves in a purposefully novel set of circumstances.

Setlist

Congoman; Goya; Adios Pinochet; Hat and Beard; Call for the Demons; Elements; Three Car Church.

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