Volume 6 Issue 3 - November 2000

CJRT, Classical & Jan

CJRT, Classical & Jan Radio Toronto! 24-hour . . member-supported . radio! Program Highlights JAZZ "The Jazz Scene" . with Ted O'Reilly ·Mon.-Fri. 3-7 p.m. "Portraits in Jazz " with Doug Watson Sat. 6 a.m.-Noon "Jazz with Bob 'Parlocha" Mon.-Fri. 9 p.m.-1 a.m. "Night Beat" with Mary Lou Creechan Sat. & Stin.10 p.m ~1 a.m. "Big Bands" Sun. 7-10 p.m. "Swing'.'. Sat. 5-7 p.ni. with Glen Woodcock PLUS ... 'Folk, Blues & World Music CJRT Cfassica[ Music , · 6-11.a.m. Mon.-Fri. with Peter Keigh 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Mon.-Fri. ·with Adriane Markow 1-6 a.m. daily with Peter Van cie Graaf ' plus ... Sundays ... I!iarlr? c!111tusic Records in Review Opera A Prairie Home Companion - BBC news M-F 8 & 10 a.m. Telephone: 416-595-0404 1-888-595-0404 Website: www .cjrt.fin CJRT. CONCERT NOTES •!• When it comes to making a start on the piece for WholeNote, some months are more difficult than others. There are always distractions, other things more pressing, even if that sometimes consists of doing nothing. It is the threat of a deadline, that sword of Damocles hanging over you, that eventually results in today's equivalent of pen beip.g put to paper. Thjs month the distractions are even more numerous since I'm filing the column from overseas - · England, to be exact. So, instead of my customary notes with a Toronto emphasi!', here are a few pointers for those of you who might be planning to visit Britain and, of course, hear some jaz~. The first of them is, don't fall over when you find out how expensive it is! The pound is strong against the lowly Canadi~n dollar and if you are on a shoestring budget, you might just fnd that your shoestring is strangling you. Even a very modest double - room, that is - in a hotel will · run you about 0.00 per night. But on to jazz, and if you happen to be in London, there is a wide variety available, but be prepared to travel considerable distances if the club you are looking for is in the suburbs. That's where good old London Tran~port comes in. There is a really good bus and sµbway, (kno\.vn locally as the tube), system The two main JAZZ NOTES · clubs are still Ronnie Scott's and The Pizza Express, both in Soho, and both regularly presenting overseas performers. But the easiest way to check on what is happening in clubs and concert halls is to pick up some of the many guides to what's on in jazz. "Jazz In London'', which is self-explanatory, is a free monthly listing of what's on in the city and suburbs. "Jazz Guide" is aimed more at the traditional end ofthe spectrum and gives information on just about every venue for traditional jazz in England. If your travels take you to Bonnie Scotland and you want to catch some jazz, try looking up www.jazz-inscotland.co.uk. They also publish a free monthly guide called "Jazz In Scotland." Then there is "Jazz UK," ( www.jazzservices.org. uk), which comes out bi-monthly with news, views, reviews and listings for the whole country. You can also surf and seek www.jazz-in-britain.com for listings and links. One small footnote: for many of the clubs be prepared to pay a cover charge and for most o(the performances it is an 8:00 or 8:3op.m. start, with 2 sets and ending between 11:00 and 'midnight. On any given night there is a choice of about a dozen pubs and restaurants offering local jazz. A couple of asides -- When you are crossing the street don't forget, look right for oncoming traffic. And if you think the ~raffle is bad in Toronto, in the words of Mr. Durante; "You ain't seen nothin' yet!" Another aside of interest to fashion conscious jazz fans. I am certainly no expert on the latest fashions, but I could not help but notice that flared bottoms seem to be "in" again. I mean, of course, the leg bottoms of ladies' pants! Anyway, for what it is worth, (which is probably a good deal less than the asking · price), the style that was in vogue, what was it, thirty years ago, is now back again. When I am on the road like this I like to pick up little snippets of trivia. For example, the largest used record store in Europe is located in Croydon, just outside London. They have in stock hundreds of thousands of 45's, lp's and CDs and will gladly try to find rare items for you, but if it is special, expect to'Pay accordingly. A price of 0.00 is not at all unusual for a hard-to-get album. But take heart, the average price is, in fact, quite realistic although CD prices are higher than in Canada. A travel note. So far on this, trip I have taken nine flights. Eight of them have been delayed and on one of them, they lost my luggage. Don't let anybody tell you that getting there is half the fun! Out of sight, but not out of mind department. There is the usual interesting array of music on offer in Toronto in ~he upcoming month and I'll make mention of only a few. On Nov 8 at Roy Thomson Hall guitarist John McLaughlin reconfirms his passion for the highly improvised music of India when he presents "Remember Shakti". With him will be Zakir Hussain on tabla. Not exactly straight ahead jazz, but fascinating music. Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe Street. (416)872-4255, .50 -.50 . Along much inore traditional lines on Nov 3 The Classic Jazz Society of Toronto will present New York based trumpeter Peter Ecklund with · The Hot Five Jazzmakers. Also on the bill are Alex Pangman and hef Alley Cats, with Jeff Healey. Estonian House, 958 Broadview Ave. (416) 485- 5489. Tickets .00,(.00 n;embers), .oo students. Ifyou, like big band musiC you are probably familiar with the name Oliver Nelson. On Nov 29, University of Toronto Faculty of Music will present "The Music of Oliver Nelson". The music is under the direction of Paul Read and Phil Nimmons and is a tribute to one of the most creative arrangers jazz has kt:i.own. · Walter Hall, 80 Queen's Park. (416) 978-3744. Tickets .00 .- .oo. Must head off to Pentonville Prison now - I promised myself that I would see the changing of the guard. 18 Whdlenote NOVEMBER 1, 2000 - DECEMBER 7, 2000

Sathezine oKanonhtan q)toltn q}t~/HO.JO Tqhal