Volume 22 Issue 7 - April 2017

Beat by Beat | Mainly

Beat by Beat | Mainly Clubs, Mostly Jazz! So Long Seven’s Cross-Cultural Chamber Music BOB BEN Lately, I have been walking around and humming the melody of You Must Believe in Spring, partially because it’s a nice melody, and partially as a reminder – sometimes it’s easy to forget that warmer days are in fact on their way. As we wait for our little corner of the world to thaw, it may help our collective state of mind if we listened to some music that carries in it echoes of warmer places. Like, for example, South Asia, or West Africa, or the Mediterranean. Such echoes can be found in the lineup of the eclectic So Long Seven, which showcases Neil Hendry on the mandolin and guitar, Tim Posgate on the banjo, Ravi Naimpally on the tabla and the remarkably young (barely out of his teens) William Lamoureux on the violin. With this unusual blend of instruments, and a collective and unmistakable jazz sensibility, So Long Seven’s highly organized, mostly non-hierarchical approach to composition and improvisation constitutes what I would call cross-cultural chamber music. A year ago – almost to the day, as I write this – the band released their eponymous debut album, a colourful and contemplative work of art, and a formidable effort that will be tough to follow. Aside from the quality of the music, what captures me about this album is the fact that, from top to bottom, each tune seems to share a goal; this is not just a collection of tracks that will demonstrate the versatility and skill of a band, but a cohesive work that is united by one purpose. What that purpose is, I suppose, up to each individual listener. When the music has no words, it can be tough to pinpoint or articulate these things, even though you may have a strong sense of them. My first instinct would be to call it music to meditate to, but that may be too restrictive since not everyone meditates (and I don’t). D. In the Clubs (Mostly Jazz) (from left) William Lamoureux, Tim Posgate, Ravi Naimpally and Neil Hendry I’ll call it music to think to. My favourite track by far is the one which opens the album, Torch River Rail Company. The introspective and rhythmically driven melody, which rolls like a train over the five-beat pattern that underlies it, maintains its momentum through these almost arbitrary - though definitely not arbitrary - pauses; as Lamoureux takes his bow off the strings, or as the rhythm section freezes, you can almost hear it continue, and you are not the least bit startled when it comes back in. The melody and accompaniment - separately - continue to weave in and out like that, and it’s fascinating to hear. You’ll have two opportunities to hear So Long Seven in Southern Ontario this month. If you’re in or around Hamilton, you can catch them at Artword Artbar on April 7; if you live closer to Toronto and you aren’t able to get out to Hamilton, you can catch up with them the very next day, April 8, at the Small World Music Centre, a short walking distance from the corner of Dundas and Ossington. I’ll level with you on this one: while I’m confident that I’ve seen all the footage of them that exists on the Internet, I’ve never seen So Long Seven live. I have a friend who used to invite me to their shows constantly back when they were known as Oolong 7, but it wasn’t until recently that I started to dive into their recorded music. So if I make it out to Hamilton, I’ll be discovering them right alongside you. I hope to see you there. Bob Ben is The WholeNote’s jazz listings editor. He can be reached at jazz@thewholenote.com. 120 Diner Alleycatz Blue Goose Tavern, The C’est What 120 Church St. 416-792-7725 120diner.com (full schedule) All shows: PWYC (- suggested) Every Tue 6pm Leslie Huyler; 8pm Annie Bonsignore; 10pm Chris Brikett. Every Wed 6pm Students from Hannah Burge’s Centennial College Studio; 8pm Lisa Particelli’s GNO Jazz Jam. Every Sat 6pm John Alcorn . April 2 6pm Femme Fatale Musicale w/ Sarah Gibbons ; 8:30pm Nicky’s Solo Improvised Musical w/ Nicky Nasrallah . April 6 6pm Laura Hubert & Nathan Hiltz; 9pm Carla Casanova, Heather Christine, Arlene Paculan, Kat Leonard. April 7 6pm Denielle Bassels: Tribute to Billie Holiday. April 9 6pm Robyn Harrison & Lea Beauvais ; 8:30pm The Sedina Show: In These Trying Times . April 13 6pm Paul Lamarche & TIMA. April 14 6pm Irene Harrett Group. April 16 7pm Sienna Dahlen & Francois Jalbert. April 20 6pm Ryley Murray Trio. April 21 6pm Christian Bell-Young. April 23 6pm David Warrack Presents ; 8:30pm David Warrack Presents . April 27 6pm Karen Racicot & Aniko Myles. April 28 6pm Ros Kindler & Lynda Covello. April 30 6pm Sam Broverman: International Jazz Day Cabaret ; 8:30pm Bobby Hsu’s Ob-Sessions . 2409 Yonge St. 416-481-6865 alleycatz.ca All shows: 9pm unless otherwise indicated. Call for cover charge info. April 1, 29 Soular. April 7, 15, 22 Lady Kane. April 8 Jamesking. April 14 Universal Boogie Band. April 21 Jamesking. April 28 North of 7 Band. Artword Artbar 15 Colbourne St., Hamilton. 905-543-8512 artword.net (full schedule) April 6 8pm The Amy Project: the music of Amy Winehouse with Marni Shuster (voice), Anthony Caradonna (guitar), Ian Taylor (bass), Bob DiSalle (drums) . April 7 8pm So Long Seven: Neil Hendry (guitar, mandolin), William Lamoureux (violin), Ravi Naimpally (tabla), Tim Posgate (banjo) . April 14 8pm Beg to Differ Trio: Tim Ninehouse (keys, voice), Doug Sikma (guitar), Steve Foster (drums). Bloom 2315 Bloor St. W. 416-767-1315 bloomrestaurant.com All shows: 19+. Call for reservations. 1 Blue Goose St. 416-255-2442 thebluegoosetavern.com Every Sun 5pm Blues at the Goose with the Big Groove Rhythm Section. Burdock 1184 Bloor St. W. 416-546-4033 burdockto.com (full schedule) All shows: 9pm April 7 9pm Kitchen Orkestra Album Release (adv)/(door). April 15 9pm Different Era EP Release (adv)/(door). Cameron House, The 408 Queen St. W. 416-703-0811 thecameron.com (full schedule) Castro’s Lounge 2116e Queen St. E. 416-699-8272 castroslounge.com (full schedule) All shows: No cover/PWYC April 8 9pm Paul Reddick. April 9 4pm Fraser & Daley. Cavern Bar, The 76 Church St. 416-971-4440 thecavernbar.ca (full schedule) 67 Front St. E. (416) 867-9499 cestwhat.com (full schedule) April 1, 15, 29 3pm The Hot Five Jazzmakers. April 8, 22 3pm The Boxcar Boys. De Sotos 1079 St. Clair Ave. W. 416-651-2109 desotos.ca (full schedule) Every Sun 11am Sunday Live Jazz Brunch No cover. Emmet Ray, The 924 College St. 416-792-4497 theemmetray.com (full schedule) All shows: No cover/PWYC April 6 9pm John-Wayne Swingtet: John Farrell (guitar), Abbey Sholzberg (bass), Wayne Nakamura (guitar), Alexander Tikhonov (clarinet). April 13 9pm Bossa Tres PWYC. April 20 9pm Vokurka’s Vicarious Virtuoso Violin. Gate 403 403 Roncesvalles Ave. 416-588-2930 gate403.com All shows: PWYC. April 1 5pm Bill Heffernan’s Saturday Sessions; 9pm The Tin Pan Jazz Band. April 2 54 | April 1, 2017 - May 7, 2017 thewholenote.com

5pm Grateful Sunday; 9pm Evan Desaulnier Jazz Trio. April 3 5pm Mike and Jill Daley Jazz Duo; 9pm Jazz Mondays with the Tim Hamel Trio and featured guests. Grossman’s Tavern 379 Spadina Ave. 416-977-7000 grossmanstavern.com (full schedule) All shows: No cover (unless otherwise noted). Every Sat The Happy Pals Dixieland jazz jam. Every Sun 10pm The National Blues Jam with Brian Cober. Every Wed 10pm Bruce Domoney. April 2 4:30pm New Orleans Connection All Star Jazz Band. Harlem Restaurant 67 Richmond St. E. 416-368-1920 harlemrestaurant.com (full schedule) All shows: 7:30-11pm (unless otherwise noted). Call for cover charge info. Every Mon Neil Brathwaite. April 7, 14 Gyles. April 21 JWT. Hirut Cafe and Restaurant 2050 Danforth Ave. 416-551-7560 Every Sun 3pm Open Mic with Nicola Vaughan PWYC. April 2, 9, 23, 30 7:30pm Eucalyptus Calypso/Dancehall/Reggae/Bossa Nova ensemble residency. April 7 8pm Wally Brooker and the Concord Jazz Quintet PWYC. April 8 12pm Sharron Katz & Friends PWYC; 8pm Ernest Lee & Cotton Traffic PWYC ( suggested). April 4, 18 8pm Finger Style Guitar Association PWYC. April 14 8pm Don Naduriak PWYC. April 28 9pm Hirut Hoot Cabaret 5 year anniversary . Home Smith Bar – See Old Mill, The Jazz Bistro, The 251 Victoria St. 416-363-5299 jazzbistro.ca April 1 9pm rinsethealgorithm . April 2 7pm Stephanie Martin . April 4 7pm Jazz FM Sounds of Italy series with Franco D’Andrea . April 6, 7 9pm Eliana Cuevas Quintet. April 8 9pm Coldjack . April 9 7pm Adi Braun . April 11, 18 6pm Robert Scott; 8:30pm Robert Scott (piano) & Genevieve Marentette (voice). April 14, 15 9pm The Nightporters (Fri)/(Sat). April 16 7pm Nathan Hiltz Trio. April 19 8pm Aj Bridel . April 20 8:3pm Colin Hunter & The Anthony Terpstra Seventet - Mostly Frank . April 21, 22 8:3pm Colin Hunter & The Joe Sealy Quartet . April 23 7pm Jim Betts: The Betts Yet Tickets purchased through Smile Theatre. April 25 8pm DUFFMUSIQ . April 26 8pm John MacMurchy . April 28, 29 9pm The Christopher Simmons Trio (Fri)/(Sat). 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+. April 1 LaBoeuf Brothers . April 7 Mike Murley Trio . April 8 Michael Occhipinti’s Creation Dream – The Music of Bruce Cockburn – featuring Elizabeth Sheppard (voice) . April 14 Oliver Babaz Trio . April 15 Eliana Cuevas . April 21 Jason White Trio . April 22 Kite Trio . April 28 Derek Hines Quintet . April 29 On Topic Trio . La Revolucion 2848 Dundas St. W. 416-766-0746 larev.webs.com Every Tue 9pm Duets with Peter Hill and featured guests. Every Fri Les Petits Noveaux. Every Sat 7:30pm Saturday Night Jazz (lineup TBA). Local Gest, The 424 Parliament St. 416-961-9425 Local Pub, The 396 Roncesvalles Ave. 416-535-6225 localpub.ca (full schedule) Lula Lounge 1585 Dundas St. W. 416-588-0307 lula.ca (full schedule) April 1 10:30pm Lula All Stars & DJ Santiago Valasquez . April 2 10am Michael Johnston Music Studio’s 10th Annual Recital & Spring Celebrations (adv)/(door). April 4 7pm Salsa Loca (adv)/(door). April 6 7:15pm Marvin Gaye & Luther Vandross birthday bash (adv)/(door). April 7 7:30pm Lula Music and Arts Centre ; 10:30pm Yani Borrell & DJ Suave . April 8 10:30pm Manny Cardenas & DJ Santiago Valasquez . April 9 10am Michael Johnston Music Studio’s 10th Annual Recital & Spring Celebrations (adv)/(door). April 14 7:30 Sonia Aimy ; 10:30pm Papiosco y los Ritmicos and DJ Suave . April 15 10:30pm La Borinqueña plus DJ Santiago Valasquez . April 18 7pm Don Mills Collegiate Jazz Night (gen)/(sr)/(st). April 21 7:30pm Fern Lindzon ; 10:30pm Café Cubano & DJ Suave . April 22 10:30pm Ricky Franco & The P-Crew Orchestra and DJ Santiago Valasquez . April 23 2:45pm Fred Penner (adv)/(door). April 28 7:30pm Scott Kemp Trio . Manhattans Pizza Bistro & Music Club 951 Gordon St., Guelph 519-767-2440 manhattans.ca (full schedule) All shows: PWYC. Every Mon Sandy Macdonald. April 1, 13 Joe Lucchetta. April 2 Stan Chang & Erick Bruck. April 4 Kent & Harry’s Sidewalk Revival. April 5, 25 Brad Halls. April 6 Brad Cheeseman Trio. April 7, 19 Giggles. April 8 Jazz meets blues. April 9, 23 Grace Peters. April 11, 30 David Hollingshead & guests. April 12, 26 Paul Taylor. April 14 Hammerbomb. April 15 Practical Spark. April 18, 28 John Zadro. April 20 Hammerton/Wagler/O’Neill. April 21 Tom Altobelli Trio. April 22 Kevin Dempsey Trio. April 27 Carmen Spada. Mây Cafe 876 Dundas St. W. 647-607-2032 maytoronto.com (full schedule) Mezzetta Restaurant 681 St. Clair Ave. W. 416-658-5687 mezzettarestaurant.com (full schedule) All shows: 9pm, (unless otherwise noted). April 5 Jordan Saull & James Brown (guitars). April 12 Kyle Marshall (cello) & Don Ionescu (guitar). April 19 Dave Young (bass), Reg GREAT CANADIAN ROOTS MUSIC Natalie MacMaster Donnell Leahy - ONE Matt Andersen Honest Man Murray McLauchlan Love Can’t Tell Time See these artists and more at VOICES that CARE, a benefit concert for the Room 217 Foundation Glenn Gould Theatre Friday May 5, 2017 | Reception at 7pm - Show at 8pm Order online at www.voicesthatcare.ca or by phone at (905) 852-2499 thewholenote.com April 1, 2017 - May 7, 2017 | 55