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Volume 17 Issue 9 - June 2012

  • Text
  • Jazz
  • Toronto
  • Festival
  • Concerts
  • August
  • Musical
  • Theatre
  • Arts
  • Festivals
  • Symphony

WE ARE ALL MusIC’S

WE ARE ALL MusIC’S CHILDRENJune’s Child Josh Grossmanmj buELLWho is July /August’s Child?His childhood rhythmband gig led to fivedecades of great vibesand playing well withothers, live and ontv: Benny Goodman,Frank Sinatra, EllaFitzgerald, TonyBennett, DukeEllington, Mel Tormé,Dick Hyman, RobMcConnell, HagoodHardy, GuidoBasso, Diana Krall,Anne Murray andOscar Peterson.1992 – Officer ofthe Order of CanadaHas a June date withsome sophisticatedladies at Koerner Hall.Send our MysteryChild’s name tomusicschildren@thewholenote.comby midnight onMay 20, 2012.Lincolnshire, England,circa 1934.Josh Grossman lives in “The Pocket” inToronto with his wife Jeanette and babydaughter Adelaide, in a rented bungalowwith an awesome tenant in the basement.When not making, booking or organizingmusic, he enjoys long walks on the beach,holding hands at sunset and a goodbreakfast; also hanging out with friendsand family, reading, movies and watchingAdelaide grow and learn more every day.Vancouver-born JoshGrossman came to Torontoat the age of eight. He attendedLawrence Park CollegiateInstitute, and then moved on tothe University of Toronto JazzPerformance programme.What’s coming up? The TDToronto Jazz Festival runsJune 22 to July 1. This is mythird festival as artistic directorand I’ve had so much funso far! As artistic director I getto see a bit of every show, meetall kinds of great people, introduceperformances, and interviewartists.During the festival my bigband, the Toronto Jazz Orchestrais presenting the Radiohead JazzProject 2, (July 1 at The Rex Hotel,7:30pm). We’re playing two sets:arrangements of Radioheadtunes and a bunch of new musictoo. The first incarnation of TheProject sold out!I play (trumpet, flugelhorn)in the Chris Hunt Tentet, whichhas shows coming up in Julyand August at The Rex. I’veplayed in the band for almostten years and it’s always a blast.The repertoire is an interestingmix of jazz standards andpop tunes. I get to do a bitof writing for the band,and the other musiciansare fantastic.I’m looking forward to my 15th season asartistic director and conductor of the TJO. I getto work with outstanding musicians, performinteresting music, and enjoy the challenge ofkeeping things fresh each year. The TJO is goodfor my soul.I’m also looking forward to a sixth season asadministrator for Continuum ContemporaryMusic. With Continuum, my mind is constantlyexpanded. There are noboundaries to contemporarymusic, and co-artistic directorsJennifer Waring and RyanScott are always coming up withoutlandish new plans. I get alot out of helping to make themhappen, working with some ofthe top classical musicians in thecity. I feel so lucky to be involvedwith these organizations —theyprovide me with such rich andvaried musical experience.Early musical memories? Myparents played records all thetime at home. I have fond memoriesof going through the 45sand picking out what I wantedto hear. When visiting my dad’sparents, my grandfather wouldalways have music playing (usuallyopera, usually not to myliking at that time) but also wasa big Victor Borge fan.Musicians in your family? Mymom is very musical —she tookpiano for many years and stillsings in a choir. My dad can playthe radio. He has a story abouta clarinet teacher asking himto stop coming for lessons. Mybrothers (one older, one younger)were both good saxophoniststhrough high school and university(extra-curricular).Early experiences playingmusic with other kids? Piano,and then later on, trumpet. Idid the Suzuki Method, and I’m sure there were pianorecitals, but I remember Pine River best —I attendeda two-week arts program there in the summer aftergrade 6 which made a lasting and good impression.My first memory of performing solo is at Pine River.It’s where I learned trumpet and at the end of the twoweeks we performed for our parents …A full-length version of Josh Grossman’s interviewcontinues at thewholenote.com.CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR WINNERS! HERE’S WHAT THEY WONThe TD Toronto Jazz Festival and Barnyard Records present Hobson’s Choice, whose new recording Of The Waveswill be released in concert Saturday June 30 at the Music Gallery. This Toronto-based quartet creates original musicinformed by jazz, new chamber music and the singer-songwriter tradition: Michael Davidson, vibraphone; RebeccaHennessy, trumpet; Felicity Williams, voice; and Harley Card, voice and acoustic guitar. Nadi Scribner, KatherineZipp, and their guests, will be there. Formed in 1998 by conductor Josh Grossman the Toronto Jazz Orchestra isan 18-piece big band made up of some of Toronto’s best young jazz musicians. Performing classic big band tunesfrom the past as well as leading edge contemporary compositions The Path is the TJO’s third recording. Grossman saysthis album shows off “the most musically mature version of the Toronto Jazz Orchestra so far … and half of the tunesare my compositions or arrangements!” George Katz and Phoebe Westervain each win a copy.Music’s Children gratefully acknowledges Sophia, Aileen, Sharon and Larry, Lesley and Terry, and Suzie.48 thewholenote.comJune 1 – July 7, 2012

Green Pages 2012Welcome to The WholeNote’s 11th annual Green Pages presenting summerfestivals across the musical map — classical, jazz, opera, folk, world music andmuch more — in unique and beautiful settings across the country!First up, you’ll find profiles of 39 widely diverse summer festivals. Nextyou’ll find detailed listings for those of the 39 who have events between June 1and July 7. (Look out for events hosted by these festivals between July 1 andSeptember 7 in our upcoming July/August double issue!)Finally, as a reminder that the summer music scene is virtually unlimited,we offer an alphabetical cross-section of more than a hundred festivals thissummer in our festival digest.We wish you a summer to remember.ASHkenaz FesTival!!August 28 to September 3Harbourfront Centre,235 Queens Quay W., Toronto, ONNorth America’s premier festival of Jewishand Yiddish culture returns, featuring thebest of the global Jewish cultural scene, withmusic, theatre, film, visual arts, literature,kids/family programs and the signatureAshkenaz Parade! Most events are free, withover 80 acts from a dozen countries, includingIsraeli world music sensation YemenBlues; Russian klezmer-ska-punk party bandOpa!; Italian-Jewish renaissance music withLucidarium Ensemble; Bukharian Jewishmusic with Shashmaqam (Central Asia/NY); Latin American-klezmer mashup withMexico’s Klezmerson; Ugandan-Jewish musicfrom Abayudaya; 30th anniversary reunion ofCanada’s first klezmer-revival band, Finjan(Winnipeg); Theatre Panik’s innovative takeon the classic Jewish folk tale “The CorpseBride”; and much more!416-979-9901www.ashkenazfestival.comAurora jazz+ Festival!!August 3 to August 5Aurora Town Park, Aurora, ONThe Aurora jazz+ Festival highlights the multiculturalfabric of Canada! Jazz+ means thefestival includes all possible arts and musicgenres from reggae to rock, First Nations musicto world music, Canadian funk to blues andjazz. Local visual artists display and performlive painting in the park, while diverse vendorsprepare and serve foods of the world. Enjoygreat music, art, culture, food, beer/wine,kids’ crafts, shopping and the ambiance of thebeautiful, heritage Town Park setting locatedin the cultural core of Aurora, in the centre ofYork Region.905-841-6893www.aurorajazzfest.comBaYField Festival of Song!!June 2 to June 10Bayfield, ONCelebrate the art of song in the historic townhall of the beautiful village of Bayfield onLake Huron, west of Stratford, renowned forits beaches, its sunsets and its restaurants!Adrianne Pieczonka and Laura Tucker presenta “Celebrity Recital.” Alexander Dobson singsDichterliebe and Songs of Travel. VirginiaHatfield, Megan Latham and Geoffrey Sirettare “Upstairs/Downstairs.” Brilliant youngsingers Andrea Cerswell, Alexandra Beley,Andrew Haji and David Roth honour the royalDiamond Jubilee. “Schubert in the Morning”includes piano duets from Stephen Ralls andBruce Ubukata, the pianists in all our concerts.416-735-7982 or 519-565-5600www.aldeboroughconnection.orgBrott Music Festival!!June 3 to August 16Hamilton, ON25 years of bringing the world’s greatest musicto you! We have a truly celebratory season foryou, a panoply of musical experiences forpeople of all ages and musical tastes. Jazz, classicrock, Brahms, exuberant high teas and thegreatest moments of Puccini’s opera masterpiecesall culminate in our grand finale, a tributeto Giuseppi Verdi. All this is performed byour brilliant National Academy Orchestra, thecream of the crop of Canadian musical talent,and featuring virtuoso soloists who willbring you to your feet in standing ovations. Thesound of excellence is about to unfold.905-525-SONG (7664)www.brottmusic.comClear Lake ChamberMusic Festival!!August 11, August 21 to August 26Onanole Community Centre, RidingMountain National Park, MBThe Clear Lake Chamber Music Festival, underthe artistic direction of one of Canada’s leadingconcert pianists, Alexander Tselyakov, hasbecome an important part of Canada’s culturalcalendar, the most exciting and first event ofits kind that Manitoba has to offer. Come enjoya celebration of summer with classical music,jazz and outstanding musicians in the naturalbeauty of Riding Mountain National Park,Manitoba. The festival will take place on August11, and then from August 21 to August 26. Formore details, please see our website.204-571-6547 or 204-727-9631www.clearlakefestival.caColours of Music!!September 21 to September 30Various locations, Barrie, ONColours of Music comprises 29 performancesheld noon, 2:30pm and 7:30pm in churchesthroughout Barrie, featuring choirs, orchestras,quartets and pianists from across Canadaand around the world. Pianist in residenceMauro Bertoli will perform solo and in collaborationwith violist Pemi Paull, cellisttheWholeNote 2012 SUMMER MUSIC GUIDE49

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