Photo and writing by Joseph DeBell
The Rigas Family Theater at the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts came alive as the husband-and-wife duo of Bob McChesney and Calabria Foti took the stage with their program “From Bebop to Broadway.”
The duo was supported by a group of musicians: Nick Weiser on piano, Jeff Campbell on bass and Ryan Barski on drums.
Presented in association with Friends of Good Music, the concert featured a mix of jazz standards and Broadway favorites.
In an interview with TAPinto Greater Olean, Foti spoke about growing up near St. Bonaventure.
“I have lots of family here, and I grew up nearby in Fredonia,” Foti said.
McChesney, a world-renowned trombonist, also reflected on the importance of performing live, especially after years of limited performances because of the pandemic.
“There’s just an energy you get from live music that recordings can’t capture,” McChesney said. “When you’re in a room, interacting with the audience, there’s a level of excitement that’s unique to live performances. It’s like going to a musical theater or watching a movie — it’s a whole different energy for both us and the audience.”
The evening opened with a dynamic rendition of Antônio Carlos Jobim’s “One Note Samba,” which McChesney and Foti both named as a highlight.
The concert also featured songs like “How Deep Is the Ocean,” composed by Irving Berlin, and “Our Love Is Here to Stay,” composed by George Gershwin.
Les Sabina, a professor of music at St. Bonaventure and a concertgoer that night, praised the musicians’ chemistry.
“Even though they hadn’t played together much before, the interplay among the group was incredible,” Sabina said. “I especially enjoyed the reharmonizations on tunes like ‘One Note Samba.’”
Sabina also noted the balance between the more introspective pieces and the upbeat numbers.
“There was excellent pacing,” Sabina said. “You had the high-energy moments, but they knew when to dial it back without losing the audience. The moodier songs still kept everyone engaged.”
Foti, who started her musical career as a violinist before transitioning to vocal jazz, demonstrated her range throughout the evening, from Broadway hits like “On the Street Where You Live” from the musical “My Fair Lady,” to jazz staples like “Lasso the Moon.”
Beyond the artistry, the evening also had a charitable component, with $5 from each ticket going to the Endowment for Warming House Sustainability.
The couple’s connection to Western New York is longstanding, and their visit to St. Bonaventure was part of a two-week tour that included performances and teaching workshops.
“We just finished a stint at Eastman School of Music,” Foti said. “It was a nostalgic experience for me. I hadn’t been there since I was a teenager, and my dad played in the Ray Wright Orchestra.”
debelljb22@bonaventure.edu
