March By Wally Wood JAZZ
March By Wally Wood JAZZ PROFILE : STEVE KOVEN Looking for the word? Coiled. Maybe. Tuned?. For sure. Ready to break out? Ina word, Toronto pianist Steve Koven is hard to nail down. And on a piano stool he is hard to contain. Relatively small, at 5' 7':, he is all over the piano, up and down the 88 keys, fingers flying, el- player around Toronto; mother Florbows, what? Akimbo, sliding up the ence sings; brother Bob was an enterkeys and do\vn the keys, effecting ex- tainer, brother Jeff sang and played the citement, making music. Making jazz. guitar, sister Laurie played the piano. He plays standards, with a twist, and Steve and Katrina met while.they his own compositions; everything with were studying music at Toronto's York verve. University. They each have a Bachelor Kovenhas just announced the first ofFine Arts degree from York. Steve Toronto Jazz in Conceq, to be held has explored music in a rock band, at the Helen Gardiner Phelan Play- played the organ, was exposed to jazz house, in Toronto, Saturday, Feb 23, saxophone, boogie woogie, blues, '2002. Two trios will perform: the Steve standards and studied improvisation: he Koven Trio, with Rob Clutton, bass, has been rapt with 'drone' mlisic, and Anthony Michelli, drums, and Koven; slipped into the mysterie_s of Indian and Swing Street (Ron Davis, piano, music. He co9tinues to develop. Tony Quarrington, guitar, and Ka- . 'Influences'? He mentions the Cheong Liu, bass.) names of pianists Thelonious Monk, TheHelenGardinerPhelanPlay- Oscar Peterson, Ahmad Jamal and house is at 79A St. George Street, on J(eith Jarrett.. Self-evident, Koven the Vniversity of Toronto Campus. says, playing music ishis life, but one's As wt;ll, Koven has just returned from music changes with the way one's life .a gig as Master of Ceremonies, and changes; from within and Without. performer, at the Barbados Jazz Fes _tival, in Bridgetown, January 15-20. Koven anct two associates were at the BarbadqsJazzFestival in 1998; to open for jazz singer, Nancy Wilson. ·0ne · newspaper report said "the (Koven) group lit ttie place up" and that "great young Canadian talent, Steve Koven was the kid who stole the show." Koven is not exactly a kid. He was born in Toronto 37 years ago. But, he has the exuberance of youth , along with energy that comes from seeing life as a work in progress. Koven is married, to musician/artist, Katrina, and has a IO year old daughter, Rachael t ' who reportedly paints, draws, plays the piano and sport ,with equal zest. They live in Toronto's Leaside community, and Steve and Katrina Koven have a music studio there for children, called Yellow Dog Music, employing six people. Steve Koven·says that the Yellow . Dog Music enterprise gives him the financial base from which he can give rein to his music. Koven' s birth family was a composite primer for a musical career: father, Dr. Irving Koven, currently a breast C:ancer surgeon at Toronto's Mount Sinai Hospital, has oft been seen as piano Composing music, Koven, too, grows, changes. He has produced t!'lree CDs: the fu§t, live at The SenaJor, was composed mostly of 'standards', although there was one song that was original, Rudy's Playhouse, riamed after his cat. The second CD, called Soapbox, was again a mix of standards with an original called The Vest. The third CD, Not by the E/hows (after a plea from his nephew CJ),' was about 60 pereent original music, recorded at Toronto's Montreal Bistro. Composing or playing Koven says he is learning to"keep it simple; that less is more". Steve Koven continues to spread the 'word', his word of course being music. He has toured Canada, played in the United States, and appeared in the Bahamas and Barbados, was part of the Jersey Jazz Festival, in the Channel Islands, in 2000, and was on a jazz tour of England last year. Koven has played at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Toronto and is a familiar jazz name in metropolitan Thronto. He heads the trio, now composed of Rob Chittori and Anthony Michelli. Koven is an exciting performer, withadi.Stinctstyle, and frequently carrie~ an audience Oil' an adrenaline rush. It's a great way tci go. 18 www.thewholenote.com Jazz Notes CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 7 Estonian House Hall on Broadview. Feb 1 and 2 they will present Phil Masons' New Orleans All-Stars, one of England's leading traditional jazz bands, (see concert listings). The band, along with vocalist Christine Tyrrell, is one of the most popular on the intern.ational traditional jazz scene. Toes will tap! Also noteworthy, The National Jazz Awards 2002, formerly the Jazz Report Awards, take place at 7pm Feb 24, 2002 at the Randolph Academy of the Performing Arts (Old Bathurst Theatre) 736 Bathurst Street. The evening's entertainment includes Joanne Brackeen, Jane Bunnell, D.D. Jackson, Michael Occhipinti, Denz.al Sinclaire, Club Django Sextet and Tenor Madness. The A wards honour artists in 25 dif- · ferentcategories; CBC Radio's "After Hours" hosted by Ross Porter, will broadcast the awards between 8 and 10 the same everiing. Tickets are per person. Call 416-533-2813 or go online at nationaljazzawards.com Not exactly jazz, but let that pass, Feb 15-17 the Fourth Annual Newmarket Folk & Blues Fesbval will liven things up. Check it out on their website at www.geocities.com/folkandblues/ comercoffee.htrnl. Tickets: The Comer Coffee House, 234 Main Street, Newmarket (905) 898- 8599. Headliners are Rick Fielding (15th), Marie Lynn Hammond (16th) and Eve Goldberg (17tl1) . Meanwhile, as our listings show, things are hopping as usual in the clubs, with mainly local talent, notable exceptions being the Joanne Brackeen Trio with Terry Clarke and Don Thompson at the Montreal Bistro and Vancouver based Campbell Ryga at The Top 0' The Senator. The Rex, _ consistent and popular as ever, has more musicians on stage through the month than any other club I know of; the intimacy of Rhodes makes it the right spot for duos and trios; and Kirk MacDonald is making sparks fly at The Rockit. And, Qf course "My Funny Valentine" will be played and sung to death just about everywhere on the 14th! Be there. JAZZ LISTINGS a. CONCERT LISTINGS The following concerts, noted briefly here, can all be found in detail in our comprehen· sive listings starting on page 24 Feb bl -02 Classic Jazz Society Feb 01 ]:30: York U Dept of Music. lmprov Soiree. Feb 03 7:30: RCM Community.School. RCM Jazz Ensemble. Feb 04 8:00: Jazz.FM91. Sound of Toronto Jazz. Quinsin Nachoff Feb 06'8:30: U of T Faculty of Music. Small Jazz Ensembles. Feb 10 2:00: Visual and Performing Arts Newmarket. John Arpin, ragtime piano. Feb 10 3:00: York Jazz Ensemble. Feb.10 4:30: Christ Church Deer Park. Jazz Vespers. Mike Murley, saxophone. • Feb 13 8:30: U of Tfaculty of Music . . Small Jazz Ensem~les . Feb 14 8:00 Music Gallery Berlin Expedi tion + Practically Perfect Fehl 5 7:00: Kory Livingston Quintet Feb 16 8:00: OnStage. Studio Jazz. Jeri Brown, Ken Werner, Don Thompson Feb 23 8:00: OnStage. Studio Jazz· Renee Rosnes Quartet ·Feb 23 Music Gallery Lee Pui-Ming CD Release Feb 23 8:30: Living Arts Centre. Casually Jazz · Tyler Yarema Feb 24 4:30: Christ Church Deer Park. Jazz Vespers. Chase Sanborn, trumpet. Feb 27 ]2:30: York U. Dept of Music. Bill Westcott Feb 27 8:30: U of T Faculty of Music. Small Jazz Ensembles · b. Further A field Feb 03 7:00: Quinsin Nachoff F eb 10 7:00: John Tank, Bernie Senensky, Duncan Hopkins Feb 17 7:00: Dan lonescue, George Koller, Kevin Dempsey Feb 22 8:00: Lynn McDonald Pr~sents: Black History Month . Archie Alleyne & Kollage Feb 24 7:00: Peter Smith Quintet Mar 03 7:00:- Doug Watson Trio c. JAZZ--CLUBS --Ben Wicks Restaurant and Pub, 424 Parliament Street· 8 to 12 pm ·1416) 961-9425: Feb 2 Jazz Extension Swing Band ··C'est What, 67 Front Street !Front & Church SI): Saturdays 4 to 7 pm · 416-867- 9499 Feb 2, 9, 16, 23 f-(ot Five Jazzmak,ers ··Chick 'N' Deli, Mount Pleasant Ave, Toronto !just south of Eglinton) -Saturdays 4 to 7 pm · 416- 489· 7931 : Feb 2, 9, 16, 23 Climax Jazz Band ··Gate 403 403 Roncesvalles Avenue 1416) 588-2930 Call for details ··Grossman's Tavern, 379 Spadina Ave, Toronto !south of College) · Saturdays 4 to 7 pm· 416-977- 7000: Feb 2, 9, 16, 23 Kid Bastien and the Happy Pals ··Hot House Cafe Market Square 1416) 366· 7800 Sun Jazz Brunch w/Ken Churchill ··Mezzetta Cafe Restaurant. 681 St. Clair West. 416-658-5687. · 9:00 & 10:15pm: Feb 6: Gordon Webster, piano & Marc Rogers, bass. . Febl 3: Pat Collins, bass & David Occhipinti, guitar. . Feb14. Valentine's lilay Concert: Tim Boyle, vocals & Kevin Barret, guitar . Feb 20: Bernie Senensky, piano & John Tank, sax. . Feb 27: Tern· pus Duet. Nadia Petra & John Hanson, gLii· tar & vocals. $ 6. ··Montreal Bistro, 65 Sherbourne St.1416) 363-0179: Feb 1,2 Don Thompson Quartet w I Terry Clarke, Pat Collins & Reg Schwager; Feb 4 David Occhipinti Quartet; Feb 5-9 The Mark Eisenman Trio; Febll Terry Cade Quartet; Feb 12-16 Jim Galloway I Doug Fe bruary 1 H 7 , 2002
Riley Quartet w/ Reg Schwager & Don Vickery; Feb 18 The Dave McMurdo Jazz Orchestra; Feb19-23 Joanne Brackeen Trio w/ Don Thompson and Terry Clarke; Feb.25 John Neudorf Quintet; Feb 26,27 Hazel Walker Quintet ··Mezzrow's 1546 Queen W. 1416) 535· 4906: Feb 3 Pat Carey's Jazz Navigators; Feb10 Jukejoint; Feb 17 Pumphouse Gang; Feb 24 Laura Hubert ··N'Awlins'Jazz Bar & Dining 299 King W. (416) 595-1958: Thurs, Fri, Sat Real Deal; Mon· Tues Dave McMortow; Wed, Su~ Jim Heineman ·-Orbit Room 580A College St. (416) 763- 34 70: Every Sun Dave Murphy; Every Mon Sisters Euclid w/Kevin Breit; Every Wed LMT Connection; Every Thurs Planet Earth ··Pilot Tavern 22 Cumberland St. (416) 923· 5716 Feb 2 Mike Gauthier; Feb 9 Daniel Barne.s --Portly Piper Pub, 235 Bayly St. W. Ajax· 5 to 8 pm 905 426 9535 -(formerly Fiddler & Fireman) Feb 10, 24 Ragweed Jazz' Band --lluigley's 2232 Queen E. (416) 699-9998 · Call for information. --Reservoir lounge 52 Wellington E. (416) 955-0887 Every Mon Bradley &-The Baune· ers; Every Tues Tyler Yarema; Every Wed Louis Tre w/Danny B; Every Fri Chet Valiant Combo; Every Sat Tory Cassis -·Rex Jazz & Blues Bar 194 Queen St. West 1416) 598-2475 Feb 1 Melissa Stylianou Trio I Carey West Quintet; Feb 2 Quinsin Nachoff I Richard Underhill /Ken Fornetran Quintet; Feb 3 Tammy Weiss/Quadruped/Vincent Wolfe Quartet; Feb 4 Leah State Trio/ Kevin Brow Quartet; Feb 5 Swing Street/Classic Rex Jazz Jam w/ host: Adrean Farrugia; Feb 6 Chris Gale/"Ruben's Exotic Ranch"; Feb? Rancho Misterio/ Paul Read & Trish Colter Sextet CD Release!; Feb.8 Melissa Stylianou Trio/Paul Read & Trish Colter Sextet CD Release!; Feb.9 laura Hubert Sextet/Richard Underhill/The Botos Brothers; Feb 10 Jonathan Lindsay Trio/Quadruped/Rufus Capadocia; Feb 11 Leah State Trio/The Jazz Mechanics; Feb 12 Swing Street/ Classic Rex Jazz Jam w/ host: Quinsin Na chaff; Feb 13 Chris Gale/Julie Mehendran Quartet; Feb 14 Rancho Misterio/Jeft Healey's "Jazz Wizards"; Feb 15 Matt Dusk & His Swihgin' . Little Big Band; Feb 16 Raoul & The Big Tinie/Richard Underhill; Feb 17 Tania Kalamanovitch/Quadruped; Feb 18 Leah State Trio; Feb 19 Swing Street/Classic Rex Jazz Jam w/ host: Jesse Capon; Feb 20 Chris Gale; Feb 21 Rancho Misterio/Emilie Claire Barlow & The Barlow Group; Feb 22 Melissa Stylianou Trio/Emilie-Claire Barlow & The Barlow Groyp; Feb 23 Toronto Jazz Orchestra/Richard Underhill; Feb 24 Freeway Dixieland Septet/Quadruped; Feb 25 Leah State Trio; Feb 26 Swing Street/Classic Rex Jazz Jam w/ host: John Obercian; Feb 27 Chris Gale; Feb 28 Rancho Misterio I Jett Healey' s "Jazz Wiiards" . --Rhodes Restaurant 1496 Yonge St. (416) 968-9315: Febl San Murata & Neville Barnes; Feb 2 Bernie Senensky, John Tank, Kieran Overs; Feb 6 Mike Murley & David Occhipinti; Feb 7 Frank Wright & Ian Bargh; Feb 8 Norman Amadio & Bob Price; Feb 9 San Murata, Neville Barnes, Lenny Boyd; Feb 13 Bob Brough & Adrean Farrugia; Feb14 St. Valentine's Day w/ Roy Patterson & Jim Vivian; Feb 15 Bill McBirnie & Ian Craig; Feb16 Danny McErla"in & Tony Quarrington; Feb21 Bob George & Chris Robinson; Feb 22 Gary Benson & Mike Downes; Feb 23 Simone Johnson, Jim McBirnie, Steve Wallace; Feb 26 Fred Duligal & Ian Bargh; Feb 27 Michael Stuart & Brian Dickinson Feb 28 Fred Duligal & Ian Bargh -,River 413 Roncesvalles Every Thurs: Julie Michels/Kevin Barrett ··Rockit 120 Church St. (416) 947-9555 Feb 1 Kirk MacDonald/Gary Williamson/Neil Swainson/T erry Clarke; Feb 8 Kirk MacDonald/Brain Dickinson/Jim Vivian/ Barry Romberg; Feb 15 Kirk MacDonald/ Lorne Lofsky/Kieran Overs/Terry Clarke; Feb 22 Kirk MacDonald/Kevin Turcotte/Bernie Senensky/Ted Warren --Sunny Thai Restaurant, 359 Eglinton Ave. West. (416) 488-8807 EvCONTIN UED, PAGE 1 7 ery Thursday 7:00 · 1 O:OOpm Peggy Mahon and Danny McErlain ··Top O' The Senator 249 Victoria St. (416) 364-7517: Febl-3 Campbell Ryga with The Mark Eisenman Trio; Feb5-10 Richard Whiteman Trio; Feb12-16 Bosom Buddies: Bonnie Brett & Melissa Stylianou; Feb 19· 24 TBA; Feb26-Mar3 David Braid Sextet ··Tranzac Club, Brunswick Ave, Toronto (just south of Bloor) · 9 to 12 pm -416-923 Featuring some of Toronto's best jazz musicians with a brief reflection by Reverend Tim Elliott. Sunday, February 10- 4:30pm ~1~ • MIKE MURLEY, SAXOPHONE Sunday, February 24 - 4:30pm CHASE SANBORN, TRUMPET Christ Church Deer Park, 1570 Yonge Street (north of St. Clair at Heath St) 416-920-5211 Offering is shared between church and musicians Free coffee after to meet the musicians February 1 -- March 7 2002 8137: Feb 6, 13, 20,27 The Grande Bouche · Swingtette Gypsy Swing --VAN GO, 71 lakeshore Rd.E. Port Credit· 7 to 11 pm· (905) 278-2296: Feb 23 Jazz Extension Swing Band -·Victory Cafe, 581 Markham St. (round the back of Honest Ed's) · upstairs 9.30 to 12.30pm 416-516-5787: Feb 21 The Grande Bouche Swingtette _BAND STAND by Merlin Williams We have a new addition to the GT A bands list this month: The Trillium Wind Ensemble. This group rehearses at St. Michael's College School (St. Clair & Bathurst) Mondays at 7:30 p.m. John Guerriere is the director. The band is looking for experienced brass and woodwind players. Call 416-465-8131. This latest addition brings the number of bands on the list up to 20. Preparing this month's column, I checked my column from one year ago. Here's what I said: "It's my belief that we will actually see less bands in the GTA over the next few years. I don't see this as a bad thing, if it comes about by bands joining forces to become well rounded groups. Of course, I could be wrong, and by this time next year, there will be even more bands. I just don't know where all those musicians are going to come from. " - Bandstand, Feb. 2001 www.thewholenote.com co~~ Really good food that just happens to be ~ ~ vegetarian! 
