Volume 21 Issue 2 - October 2015

Beat by Beat | Mainly

Beat by Beat | Mainly Clubs, Mostly Jazz! Basic Brown BOB BEN This month, I am looking forward. After all, there is a lot to look forward to in the fall: the beginning of Christmas as defined by retailers everywhere; colourful leaves and colourful sweaters; the post-Halloween candy binge; and, I suppose, even Halloween itself. My favourite thing about this fall is going to be the sounds, I’m sure. Not only the crunching of les feuilles mortes under busy Torontonian feet, but the music gracing the stages at busy Toronto concert venues. Let me take you back to winter. On a snowy Saturday in January, 2011, I went to check out a double bill at The Rex. Ricochet, a group featuring Adrean Farrugia, Andrew Downing, Ravi Naimpally, Anthony Michelli, Kevin Turcotte, Kelly Jefferson and Sophia Perlman, was my reason for going, but I was told that at 12:30 there would be a special late-night set by a band I hadn’t yet heard of, and since I didn’t have to rise early the next morning and no extra cover was required for the late set, I stuck around. The group played original music by bassist/composer Rich Brown and featured Luis Deniz on alto sax, Robi Botos on keyboards and Larnell Lewis on the drums. For the next few years – at least two, maybe more – I followed Rinse the Algorithm obsessively, attended every one of their monthly late night gigs at The Rex and most of their gigs elsewhere, purchased their album, Locutions, which I think is still available for download on iTunes, and even spent a lot of time Rich Brown transcribing what I heard – melodies, chord changes, solos, drum patterns – sometimes on the spot at the concert. The aforementioned lineup was the core group for most of the time that I knew the band, but occasionally I saw them with subs: Farrugia subbed for Botos one time, I think I remember Jefferson stepping in for Deniz, and I’m certain that at least two monstrous drummers filled the drum chair (which, with Lewis in the group, is a huge chair): Otis Williams and Chino de Villa. Locutions is an album undeniably worth listening to (my favourite track is As if Sleepwalking With Headphones On – a tune which they didn’t play live as often as some of the others), but it couldn’t hold a candle to their live concerts. They brought something intangible to the C. In the Clubs (Mostly Jazz) October 3 Liz Loughrey & Adrian X. October 5, 12, 19, 26 Neil Brathwaite. October 16 The Jay Danley Ethiojazz Group. October 17 ZimZum. October 23 Kismet Star. October 24 Kristin Fung. October 31 Quisha Wint. Hirut Cafe and Restaurant 2050 Danforth Ave. 416-551-7560 Every Sun 3pm Open Mic with Nicola Vaughan: folk/country/jazz/world/R&B. October 3 8pm Open Mic Brigade hosted by Robbie Patterson PWYC. October 6, 20 8pm Finger Style Guitar Association PWYC. October 30 9pm Hirut Hoot Cabaret . Home Smith Bar – See Old Mill, The Hugh’s Room 2261 Dundas St. W. 416-531-6604 hughsroom.com All shows: 8:30pm (unless otherwise noted). October 1 Cheryl Lescom & The Tucson Choir Boys – CD Release (adv)/(door). October 2 John Primer & The Real Deal Blues Band .50(adv)/(door). October 6 10am Toronto Ravel ; 8:30pm Jane Harbury Presents Discoveries (adv)/(door). October 7 Dan Bern .50(adv)/(door). October 8 Richard Flohil presents Maria Muldaur .50(adv)/(door). October 9 Séan McCann (of Great Big Sea) – CD Release .50(adv)/(door). October 10 Willie Dixon – A Tribute to the Man who was The Blues (adv)/(door). October 13, 14 5pm Dave Mason’s VIP Experience 9.75; 8:30pm Dave Mason’s Traffic Jam (adv)/(door). October 15 Van Django (adv)/(door). October 17 Vienna Teng (adv)/(door). October 18 Linda McRae – CD Release – Shadow Trails (adv)/(door). October 19 Kinky Friedman – CD Release -Wandering Star .50(adv)/(door). October 22 Wendy Lands – CD Release (adv)/(door). October 23 A Tribute to Jackson Browne (adv)/(door). October 24 Maria Doyle Kennedy with Kieran Kennedy (adv)/.50(door). October 25 2pm Ken Whiteley’s Sunday Gospel Matinee (adv)/.50(door); 8:30pm Al Stewart accompanied by guitarist Dave Nachmanoff .50(adv)/(door). October 26 Al Stewart accompanied by guitarist Dave Nachmanoff .50(adv)/(door). October 27 Four Villages Community Health Center presents Motherzz are Starzz Jazz Night (adv)/(door). October 28 Beppe Gambetta & Tony McManus – CD Release – Round Trip (adv)/(door). October 29 Paul Brady – CD Release – The Vicar Street Sessions Vol 1 .50(adv)/(door). October 30 The Woodshed Orchestra – CD Release (adv)/(door). October 31 Joey DeFrancesco Trio (adv)/(door). Jazz Bistro, The 251 Victoria St. 416-363-5299 jazzbistro.ca October 1 9pm George Evans Quartet . October 2 9pm The Jim Doxas Trio: Jim Doxas (drums), Paul Shrofel (piano), Fraser Hollins (bass) CD Release: “Blind Leap” . October 3 9pm Ariel Pocock (voice, piano) with Adrian Vedady (bass), Jim Doxas (drums) . October 4 7pm Adi Braun (voice) with Adrean Farrugia (piano) . October 6 8pm Hannah Burgé (voice) CD Release “Green River” with Toni Zorzi (guitar), Robi Botos (keyboards), Paco Luviano (bass), Mark Kelso (drums), Luisito Orbegoso (percussion) . October 7 8pm Morgan Davis . October 8, 9, 10 9pm Micah Barnes and Friends: “Uptown” - A Tribute to the Appolo Theatre . October 13 7pm, 9:30pm Jazz FM Piano series: Claudio Filippini Tickets available from jazz. fm. October 14 8pm David Owen CD Release: “Livin’ Life” . October 15 8:30pm Swing Dance Night with Colin Hunter (voice) and the Anthony Terpstra (drums) Seventet: Richard Whitehouse (piano), Dave Field (bass), Paul Tarussov (trombone), John Little (trumpet), Steve MacDonald (tenor sax), Anthony Rinaldi (bari sax) . October 16, 17 8:30pm Colin Hunter (voice) with the Joe Sealy (piano) Quartet: Paul Novotny (bass), Daniel Barnes (drums), Alison Young (sax) . October 18 7pm Monica Chapman (voice) with Igor Babich (sax), Rebecca Hennessy (trumpet), Nathan Hiltz (guitar), Bill King (piano), Dave Young (bass), Mark Kelso (drums) . October 20 7:30pm Charles Di Raimondo (voice) CD Release “My Jazz Adventures” with Bernie Senensky (piano), Dave Field (bass), Frank Difelice (drums) . October 21 8pm Ken Whitely . October 22 9pm Chrystelle Maechler’s SOA . October 23 9pm Alexis Baro (trumpet) Quintet with Jeff King (sax), Stan Fomin (piano), Yoser Rodrique (bass), Ahmed Mitchel (drums) . October 25 7pm Judith Lander CD Release “From my Life” . October 26 7pm A Tribute Evening Remembering Ray Jessel. October 28 8pm Andria Simone . October 29, 30 9pm Sunnie Paxon . Jazz Room, The Located in the Huether Hotel, 59 King St. N., Waterloo. 226-476-1565 kwjazzroom.com (full schedule) All shows: 8:30pm-11:30pm unless otherwise indicated. Attendees must be 19+. October 2 Jason Raso featuring Rowan, Warren & O’Neill . October 3 Russ Nolan Quartet (NYC) . October 9 Jonathan Chapman Trio . October 10 Artie Roth Quartet . October 16 Fern Lindzon Trio . October 17 George Colligan Trio (NYC) . October 22 Sandro Zerafa / Joe Debono Quartet (Paris) . October 23 Top Pocket . October 24 Mike Murley Trio . October 25 4pm Mark Kelso’s Jazz Exiles . October 30 Keith Price Trio (Winnipeg) . October 31 Brownman plays Michael Jackson . Joe Mama’s 317 King St. W 416-340-6469 joemamas.ca Every Tue 6pm Jeff Eager. Every Wed 6pm Thomas Reynolds & Geoff Torrn. Every Thurs 9pm Blackburn. Every Fri 10pm The Grind. Every Sat 10pm Shugga. Every Sun 6:30pm Organic: Nathan Hiltz (guitar); Bernie Senensky (organ); Ryan Oliver (sax), Morgan Childs (drums). 52 | Oct 1 - Nov 7, 2015 thewholenote.com

Kevin Turcotte stage that seems to me impossible to translate in a studio. They had, or I suppose they still have, a tune called The Lakeside Stroll. To get a sense of what it was like hearing the same repertoire interpreted a different way each month, take a look on YouTube for that tune. You’ll find at least three, if not more, versions of it, which are all, despite being the same tune, spontaneous compositions in and of themselves. At the time I stumbled across this band, I was not that new to live jazz, and certainly not new to live music. I had heard groups before that played music I found strikingly original, like RTA did, and groups that displayed tremendous technical facility on their instruments, like RTA did, and groups that made each tune sound radically different each time they played it, like RTA did, and groups that sent me out of the venue with a goofy smile on my face, like RTA very consistently did – so it’s difficult to pin down exactly why I thought they were so special. But given the huge following they had, I think I was and am in if not good company, lots of company – so I’m in no hurry to justify myself. In the winter of 2012/13, Brown held two solo bass concerts at the now-defunct venue, 80 Gladstone, which I attended, of course. During some RTA concerts, he would open a song with a bass solo, and it seemed to me that, month to month, these weren’t just improvisations, but compositions he was developing over time. It was at these lovely, intimate concerts at 80 Gladstone that I first got a more complete sense of what Brown was going for. Not only is it very good, it’s available for sampling on YouTube: just search “Rich Brown:Nguyên,” and it should come up. Dive into related videos. Have fun. I don’t like to say I have a favourite anything, but Brown has to be my favourite composer in the city, at least within this idiom. His compositions are deeply considered, and deeply moving as a result. They’re harmonically novel – at least to my ear – and often circular in nature, much like Blue in Green. They don’t always necessarily have a clear end or beginning. Brown doesn’t write compositions that can be described as happy or sad. It’s all much more nuanced than that. Words that better describe his compositions are meditative, unhinged, biting, nostalgic, conflicted and reverent. This is all to say that Brown has a new project, Rich Brown & The Abeng. I don’t know much about it, except that given Brown’s track record and the absolutely stellar lineup, featuring Stan Fomin on keys and Kevin Turcotte on trumpet, it will be amazing. The Abeng’s CD release party will be happening at Lula Lounge on October 21 at 8:30pm and the cover charge will be worth way more than that. I look forward to seeing you all there. Bob Ben is The WholeNote’s jazz listings editor. He can be reached at jazz@thewholenote.com. C. In the Clubs (Mostly Jazz) KAMA 214 King St. W. 416-599-5262 kamaindia.com (full schedule) All shows: 5pm-8pm. La Revolucion 2848 Dundas St. W 416-766-0746 restaurantlarevolucion.com (full schedule) Local Gest, The 424 Parliament St. 416-961-9425 October 4 4:30pm Diane Roblin & Reconnect. Lula Lounge 1585 Dundas St. W. 416-588-0307 lula.ca (full schedule) Manhattans Pizza Bistro & Music Club 951 Gordon St., Guelph 519-767-2440 manhattans.ca (full schedule) All shows: PWYC. October 1 Joni Nehrita’s ‘Boom’ CD Launch. October 2 Gary Beck and Sideways. October 3 Denise Reis & Friends. October 6, 20 Brad Halls. October 7, 28 Jokela / Vogan / Cooley. October 8, 13 John Zadro. October 9 The Cha Cha Unit. October 10 Elena Kapeleris & Bartosz Hadala. October 11, 14, 22, 27 Paul Taylor (11th with Jamie ‘Giggles’ Mitges). October 23, 25 David Hollingshead (23rd with Jena Lampman). October 29 Karyn Kirkwood Trio. Mezzetta Restaurant 681 St. Clair Ave. W 416-658-5687 mezzettarestaurant.com (full schedule) All shows: 9pm, (unless otherwise noted). October 7 Bill McBirnie (flute) & Louis Simao (guitar): Brazilian Jazz . October 14 8pm Dino Toledo (guitar) & Fernando Gallego (voice): Flamenco No cover. October 21 Mike Murley (sax) & Jim Vivian (bass). October 28 Dave Young (bass) & Reg Schwager (guitar). Monarch Tavern 12 Clinton St. 416-531-5833 themonarchtavern.com (full schedule) October 12 7:30pm Martin Loomer & His Orange Devils Orchestra . Monarchs Pub At the Eaton Chelsea Hotel 33 Gerrard St. W. 416-585-4352 monarchspub.ca (full schedule) All shows: 8pm-midnight. No cover. October 1 Jerome Godboo. October 7 Laura Hubert. October 8 Bill Durst. October 14 Emily Rockarts Quartet. October 15 Wicked Grin. October 21 Kalya Ramu. October 22 Ria Reece. October 28 Brownman & Cruzao. October 29 Mackenzie Blues Band. Morgans on the Danforth 1282 Danforth Ave. 416-461-3020 morgansonthedanforth.com (full schedule) All shows: 2pm-5pm. No cover. October 25 Lisa Particelli’s ‘Girls Night Out’ Jazz Jam. Musideum 401 Richmond St. W., Main Floor 416-599-7323 musideum.com (full schedule) October 4 8pm Vox Metropolis presents “Sherlock Jr.” . October 8 8pm Heal the Universe . October 11 3pm Francine Hailman . October 15 8pm Cynthia Tauro . October 23 8pm Conrad Gayle . Nawlins Jazz Bar & Dining 299 King St. W. 416-595-1958 nawlins.ca All shows: No cover/PWYC. Every Tue 6:30pm Stacie McGregor. Every Wed 7pm Jim Heineman Trio. Every Thu 8pm Nothin’ But the Blues w/ guest vocalists. Every Fri 8:30pm All Star Bourbon St. Band. Every Sat 6:30pm Sam Heinman; 9pm All Star Bourbon St. Band. Every Sun 7pm Brooke Blackburn. Nice Bistro, The 117 Brock St. N., Whitby. 905-668-8839 nicebistro.com (full schedule) Old Mill, The 21 Old Mill Rd. 416-236-2641 oldmilltoronto.com The Home Smith Bar: No reservations. No cover. food/drink minimum. All shows: 7:30pm-10:30pm October 1 Melissa Lauren (voice) Trio with Nathan Hiltz (guitar), Tyler Emond (bass). October 2 Nathan Hiltz (guitar) Trio with Pat Collins (bass), Morgan Childs (drums). October 3 Denny Christianson (trumpet, flugelhorn) Quartet with Brian Dickinson (piano), Mike Downes (bass), Mark Kelso (drums). October 6 In Concert and Conversation with Gene DiNovi. October 8 Robin Banks (voice) Trio with Ted Quinlan (guitar), Richard Whiteman (piano). October 9 Dave Young (bass) Quartet with Gary Williamson (piano), Landen Vierra (sax), Terry Clarke (drums). October 10 Joe Sealy (piano), Paul Novotny (bass) Duo. October 15 Alistair Kay (trombone) Trio with Brian Dickinson (piano), Roberto Occhipinti (bass). October 16 Kurt Lund (sax) Trio with Mark Eisenman (piano), Steve Wallace (bass). October 17 Carol McCartney (voice) Quartet with Brian Dickinson (piano), Kieran Overs (bass), Chris Robinson (sax). October 22 LJ Folk (voice, guitar) Quartet with David Restivo (piano), Pat Collins (bass), Steve Heathcote (drums). October 23 Julie Mahendren (voice) Trio with Adrean Farrugia (piano), Ross MacIntyre (bass). October 24 Don Vickery (drums) Trio with Mark Eisenman (piano), Neil Swainson (bass). October 29 Shannon Butcher (voice) Trio with Mark Kieswetter (piano), Ross MacIntyre (bass). October 30 Brian Blain (voice, guitar) Blues Trio with Julian Fauth (piano, voice), Victor Bateman (bass, voice). October 31 ‘The Two Tenors’ with Alex Dean, Perry White (tenor saxes), Mark Eisenman (piano), Pat Collins (bass). Paintbox Bistro 555 Dundas St. E. 647-748-0555 paintboxbistro.ca (Full schedule) Pilot Tavern, The 22 Cumberland Ave. 416-923-5716 thepilot.ca All shows: 3:30pm. No cover. October 3 Dave Young Quartet. October thewholenote.com Oct 1 - Nov 7, 2015 | 53