CONCERT NoTES •:• JAzz Nons, BAND STAND by Jim Gall.away May Days On May 12 at Roy Thomson Hall there is an interesting bill for those who like it straight ahead and swinging. Dianne Reeves and the Basie Band will share the stage, although not at the same time. The Basie aggregation is one of the few "ghost" bands that succeed in being more than a museum piece and manage to retain a measure of the vitality that the master had. Miss Reeves demonstrated what a fine singer she is last year during du Maurier Downtown Jazz and since then has gone on to further successes, adding a Grammy for best jazz vocal this year. The other big ticket concert this month is at Massey Hall on May 31 with the· Afro Cuban All-Stars, a group that spans 4 generations of musicians. Juan De Marcos Gonzalez, a central figure in Cuban music today, formed the group as a multi-generational big band to explore the diversity of Cuban rriusic, marrying the past with the present. You'll find it really difficult to keep still as you listen to this group! · On the local front there is an interesting array of music toµching on a wide range of styles and musical philosophies. The Mike Allen Trio with the leader playing tenor sax and piano, Darren Radtke, bass and Dave Robbins, drums will perform a programme of jazz standards & original works at the Glenn Gould Studio May 2, while May 5, if you happen to be near Oshawa, the Durham Region Concert Association will present the gifted pianist, specialising in ragtime interpretations, John Arpin . . Bassist, vocalist, composer Victor Bateman is running a Music Improvisation Workshop every Sunday in May from 12 to 3pm at the Gladstone Artbar at 1214 Queen W. Particpation is open to musicians at all levels at a cost of per person. Victor is well qualified to take on this Diane Reeves project. His teaching experience includes leading workshops for the National Ballet's Dance in the Schools programs in 1993 and '94, Hemisphere's Do-music project, as well as giving private lessons on the bass. For more information, contact Victor Bateman( 416)654-0590 email: vbateman@look.ca Club highlights this month include Pat LaBarbera Quartet w/ Brian Dickinson, Neil Swainson & Bob McLaren, May 8-12 and Tuesday, May 29 to Saturday, June 2; Phil Nimmons Quartet w/ Barry Elmes, Steve Wallace & Gary Williamson. Both of these engagements take place at the MonTreal Bistro. Over at the Rex, you can catch the Dave Restivo Quintet, May 5, with Ernie Tollar on sax, Ted Quinlan, guitar, Jim Vivian, bass and Kevin Dempsey on drums. On the 11th and 12th Michael Occhipinti's project, "The Music of Bruce Cockburn" is being presented. With Michael on guitar will be Kevin Turcotte - trumpet, Andrew Downing - bass, Barry Romberg - drums, and special guest Hugh Marsh - violin. The Mike Murley Quintet takes over on the 24th and 25th, and it's a hot band with John MacLeod, trumpet; Dave Restivo, piano; Jim 18 Wholenote MAY 1, 2001 - JUNE 7, 2001 Vivian, bass and Ted Warren, drums. Top 0' The Senator has one of the best singers in the business for the week on May 8th. Carol Sloan, with her great voice . and wonderful, natural jazz feeling is back in town to show us all how it should be done. The month also sees two pretty special pianists at the club - Francois Bourassa, opening on the 1st and Renee Rosnes on the 27th. It's perhaps not such a bad thing that there is a relative lull In activity this month, at least as far as big "names" are con-cerned. Perhaps jt is a gearing up process for the jazz festival season which gets under way in June with the JVC and du Maurier Downtown festivals creating a "cup runneth over" scenario for seventeen consecutive days - seventeen days to tax the pocket books of the faithful and curious. More about that next month. The Cab Calloway Hepsters' Dictionary section: the question last month was - do you know the meaning of the following according to the Cab Calloway dictionary? 1. Gabri els. 2. Skinn-beaters. 3. Armstrongs. Answers: 1. trumpet players. 2. drummers. 3. high trumpet notes. • Here's one for this month. Do you know what lily whites were? (Relevant to being on the road) The answer can be e-mailed to jimgalloway@the~holenote.com or faxed to me at 416.603.3787. byMerlin Wzlliams As I write, the CUPE education workers strike against the Toronto District School Board is about to start its fourth week. In addition to the general disorder you've no doubt read about, the strike has also left schools without band, string and recorder instruc.tors. Toronto community bands have also been affected. With spring concerts imminent, seven bands have found themselves without their regular rehearsal facilities, leaving them scrambling to find alternate practice facilities. This is no mean feat considering most concert band~ range in size from 30-70 players. Once a suitable space is found, there is the problem of contacting all the band members. And the alternate locations, usually churches, are not equipped with percussion equipment - an extra strain on rehearsals. wi,e ~usic Qtqamher 217 Danforth Ave. (416) 406-1641 Newand Used Classical and Jazz CDs Sheet Music, Reeds, Strings , 1 ,.,i ..... ·Gifts and Gift /~:(ff;\~11_' Certificates J}./ - }._~ ("' . . Trade-ins - Accepted Specializing in custom reproductions I of classic double bass Amati, Busan. Peter · CHANDLER Luthier; maker of fine double bass, cello. viola and violin. 10118 Ivan Dr., R.R. I, 1lcfc1ton, ON. NOM 2AO On Hwy. 22, 25 Kilometres N. W. of London
Here's hoping the strike will end soon. If it goes on any longer, many groups, both conununity and school could find their spring concerts cancelled. In any case, make sure to call ahead to confirm concerts at Toronto schools this month. It seems likely that many will be postponed, or moved to other venues. May is a busy month for concerts and competitions. If you happen to be in the National Capital Region between May 23 and 27, check out the Musicfest Canada competitions. You can get complete details at http:// www .musicfestcanada.com. The Markham Concert Band is doing a concert of movie music entitled "Silver Screen & Colour Spectacle" at 3pm, May 6, at the Markham Theatre. Conductor Dr. Diana Brault has selected music by composers Henry Mancini and John Williams, as well as pieces from Disney movies. The Toronto Youth Wind Orchestra is celebrating their first 10 years as a performing ensemble May 11 at the Toronto Centre for the Arts. As well as the TYWO, the concert will feature the Toronto Concert Winds, and. an ~nsemble made up ..-~~~..;....~~~.....;;__~ of the TYWO alumni. The award for best band concert title this month goes to the Hannaford Street Silver Band for "Spiritual to the Bone". Hannaford's guests are a jazz trombone quintet, and the Nathaniel Dett Chorale ... get it? The guest conductor for the concert is composer Stephen Bulla. The concert starts at 3pm May 20 at the Jane Mallett Theatre - there's also a preconcert chat by Mr. Bulla at 2:15. ' If you can make the trip further afield, or jf you happen to reside in the area, the Guelph Con!!ert Band are presenting the final concert of their 2000/2001 series "A Latin Fantasy" at the River Run Centre May 23 at 8pm. Tickets are // and can be obtained at (519) 763- 5000. Further information on the band can be found online at www.concert-band.guelph.ca. Okay, I know this isn't a band, but you really should hear them! The True North Brass are performing at Thornhill Presbyterian Church on May 4 at 8pm. The members of the quintet are key members of the Hannaford Street Silver Band, The Toronto Colin Clarke, Artistic Director Toronto Youth Wind Orchestra Symphony, and the Boss Brass. The music the group performs reflects this diversity, and they play it magnificently. Don't miss it! Merlin Williams is a woodwind perform~r. arranger, teacher and music copyist based in Toronto. If you would like an upcoming band event to be featured in the Bandstand column, feel free to contact him at (416) 489-0275; by e-mail, merlinw@attcanada.ca; or on the web, http:// members .attcanada.ca/ -merlinw/. Hear the colour of • J3ZZ No1ionol Guilor Workshop COURSES OFFERED Acoustic Classical Rock Blues Jazz Sass Drums Keyboaxd MAv 1, 2001 - JuNE 7, 2001 Wholenote 19
Loading...
Loading...