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Volume 8 Issue 9 - June 2003

  • Text
  • Festival
  • Toronto
  • Jazz
  • Theatre
  • Musical
  • Concerts
  • Arts
  • Symphony
  • Orchestra
  • Classical

JAZZ NOTES by Jim

JAZZ NOTES by Jim Galloway . We are into the festival season once had grown to around 350 enthusiasts more, but there is yet 'another phe- from all over the country and Odesnomenon in the jazz world which is sa was home to a significant event much less in evidence in Canada, but on the jazz calendar. which exists largely in the States - In 1977 the adjacent sistertown of the Jazz Party. Midland also started up a similar So, what is a jazz party? The con- _party and the Midland Jazz Classic cept is quite simple. Bring together was born. Those were the days when a group of players who speak a com- the oil industry was enjoying bpom ' mon musical vocabulary and mix times and Midland/Odessa was right them together for few days, sit back up there with the prosperity that went and enjoy the results. The idea was with them~ two towns, side by side the brainchild of Dick Gibson, a New in the heartland of the Lone Star State, Yorker who moved to the open spaces with an international airport standof Colorado in 1960. He was a huge ing, literally,between them, and on jazz fan, accustomed to the lively the face of it an unlikely place to find club scene in New York and things great jazz! were just a bit too peaceful after he Fiercely proud, open-heaTted, genmoved. Then, in 1963, he hit upon erous and independent are all approthe idea of inviting a group of about priate adjectives to describe the Joa dozen musicians to Aspen for the cals and it is fair to say that there weekend, selling tickets to jazz fans was a degree of rivalry between the and playing mix and match with the two, a bit like it used to be with the performers in a series of informal Dodgers and the Giants, but for 35 · jam sessions. The jazz party was years a veritable who's who of born. American jazz history as well as jazz Enter Dr. O.A. (Jimmie) Fulch- greats from around the. world er, or, as he is often referred brought their music to West Texas to, "Doc" Fulcher, from Odessa, for the Odessa event in May and Texas. He attended Gibson parties Midland in the fall. and decided there should be one in In the inte~ening years, changes his home town; so in 1967 the Odes.- in the economy and stiff competition sa Jazz P;irty was launched with from other jazz parties and festivals some of the greatest names in jazz. which sprang up all over, caused a , The location was the beautifully downturn in attendances and in 1998 named Inn of the Golden West and the two organisations merged under for five nights the old Terrace Room the banner of the West Texas Jazz was home for some of the world's Society, presenting one 3-day jazz best . That first year dre'w 124 jazz party a year alternating between the fans, but within five years attendance two towns. The original Dick Gib- ~ AN EVENING TO REMEMBER featuring classic jCIZZ performed by Adi Brauh with Ron Davis, Drew Birston, Mark Mariash Thursday June 19, 2003 St Lawrence Hall, King & Jarvis Doors open 7.30 p.m. Join the Orpheus Choir and friends for a relaxing evening of good food, sparkling music, door prizes, silent' auction and more. Tickets . Call 416 530-4428 for tickets or further information. This is a fundraising event for the Orpheus Choir. Tax receipts available for balance of ticket cost (approx .) son party is now gone, leaving Odessa/Midland as the oldest floating game in America. My first invitation was in 1988·and although neither Odessa nor Midland will ever win awards as natural beauty spots, the hcis,pitality and warmth I have enjoyed there over th~ years could hardly be bettered. This year's edition took place last month with some of the' best jazz musicians on the scene today and jazz lovers from throughout the United States. Of course, many of the greats who appeared there have passed on - names like Ralph Sutton, Milt Hinton, Billy Butterfield, Buck Clayton, Flip Phillips and Joe Venuti - but a new crop I've done quite a lot of performing over the past 25 or so years, and I was sure I'd seen 'it all. As it turns out, I was wrong (again.) I "'.as startled last month by the response by the au.dience at the Atlantic Band Festival in Halifax. The Brampton Concert Band was performing a feature concert on the Friday night of the festival. The audience 'started applauding the band as we took the stage. This in itself was pleasant, if somewhat unexpected. What really 'took my breath away was the applause DURING pieces of music. Those of you who are jazz fans will be familiar with the practice of applauding soloists during the piece, after their solos. Halfway through Calixa Lavalee's "Bridal Rose", the capacity crowd burst into applause after the trumpet cadenza, and did so again after the piccolo . obbligato near the end of the piece. This display of enthusiasm continued throughout the entire concert. of musicians, dedicated to the con-. cept that 'It Don't Mean A Thing, If It Ain't GotThat Swing', such as Randy Sandke, Ken Peplowski and John Allred, to name only a few, are carrying on the tradition. If you will pardon the pun, it might be said the 'Oil's well that ends well!' Information about the party can be obtained by calling the West Texas Jazz Society at 915-550-0996 or send e-mail to yarbrough _ k@utpb.edu. (And for what's. happening here and now, consult WholeNote' s everexpanding JAZZ CLUB LISfINGS on page 36 and make at least part of your own June listening live!) BAND STAND by Merlin Williams I now honestly believe that I HA YE seen it all. At least until the next time something that wild happens. The fourth annual Great Canadian Town Band Festival is taking place in Orono, June 13-15. Groups to be featured over the three days include the Royal Marine Association Band, the Central Band of the Canadian Armed Forces, the Whitby Brass Band, True North Brass,' the Claririgton Concert Band and The Hannaford Youth Band. Of particular note this year is a new group, from Quebec, Kiosque a Musique, a 7 piece group led by trombone virtuoso Alain Trudel. There's a complete schedule and directions to the festival at www.townbandfestival.com. Band dates to watch for The Markham Concert Band is performing at the Unionville festival on June 8 at noon and 4pm, and the Markham Festival on June 21 at Fe~turing some of Toronto's best jazz musicians with a brief reflection by Jazz Vespers Clergy Sunday, June 8 - 4:30 p;m. RICHARD WHITEMAN TRIO Sunday, June 29 - 4:30 p.m. In Co-operation with the Toronto Downtown Jazz Festival! RICHARD WHITEMAN, piano , NEIL SWAINSON, bass REG SCHWAGER, gui~ar PHIL DWYER, piano PAT COLLINS, bass BRIAN BARLOW, drums Christ Church Deer Park, 1570 Yonge Street (north of St. Clair at Heath St.) 416-920-5211 Admission is free. An offering is received 1 to support the work of the Church, including Jaiz Vespers. CONTINUES ON PAGE 30 22 www.thewhole note.com Jun e 1.- July 7 2003

10:00 a.m. Admission is free for both dates. The Thornhill Community Band will be performing a program of classical, popular, traditional and commissioned works under the direction of Denny Ringler at the Richmond Hill Village Heritage Day on June 14at9:45 a.m., and at Mel 1..astman Square in North York on June 24 at 7:30 p.rn. Admission for both performances is free. The Festival Wind Orchestra 11re presenting "Summer Serenade", a concert of of classical, jazz and contemporary music with instrumental solos conducted by Gennady Gefter qn, June 17 at the Fairview Library Theatre. Tickets are . · The Sunday evening band concert series at Couchiching Beach Park's Aqua Theatre starts up for the summer on 'June 22, and runs through until the end of the summer. Unfortunately I didn't get a list of the groups performing yet. The series is generally quite good, and well attended; it seems a lot of people would rather relax and watch a band concert rather than fight their way back through traffic back to the city. Be sure and take a lawn chair; the bench seating is not quite comfortable. The City of Pickering is presenting concerts at Esplanade Park in the Pickering Civic Complex this year. June 18 will feature the Pickering Concert Band. The 1 Lydian .Wind Ensemble plays on June 25. Both presentations are free of charge and start at 7 p.m. The Encore Symphonic Concert Band is presenting a concert salute to trumpeter I conductor I arranger Bobby Herriot on June 28 at the Fairview Library Theatre. Bobby, for those few band fans who may not be familiar with him is a cornerstone of the music scene in Canada. I've had the pleasure of working with him on a number of occasions, and his consummate musicianship and wonderful rapport with audiences make each gig a learning experience. For more mformation on these concerts, and many others, check the Main Listings section of wholeNote. Saxophonist Merlin Williams is an Artist/Clinician for Jupiter Music Canada. If you would like an upcoming band event to be featured in the Bandstand column, feel free to cont act Merlin by e-mail, merlinw@attcanada.ca; on the web, http: //members. attcanada. ca/ -merlinw/. Canada •s foremost Violin Specialists 201 Church Street Toronto, On. MSB 1Y7 email GHCL@idirect.com Brass - Woodwind - String Instruments - Guitar Buy direct from the Distributor AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR: Armstrong, Artley, Besson, Benge Boosey & Hawkes, Buffet, Conn Getzen, Jupiter, Keil worth, King Ibanez Guitars, Scher! & Ruth String Inst. www.harknettmusic.com June 1 - July 7 2003 www.georgeheinl.com '"'"'!f"!'!"!"~HARKNETT Musical Services Ltd. MUSIC BOOKS BEST SELECTION OF POPULAR & EDUCATIONAL MUSIC Piano • Guitar · Instrumental Mid-Town Store 416-423-9494 943 Eglinton Ave. E. (W. of Leslie) (Next door to Robert Lowrey's Piano Experts) Main Store 905-477-1141 2650 John Street Gust North of Steeles) www.thewholenote.com TORONTO Traders Bar & Grill Presented bv lazz FM 91.1 Sheraton Cenire 'Toronto Hotel 123 Queen Street West • 9:30 pm RANDY SANDKE QUARTET Friday, June 20 & Sunday, June 22 MARC BERTHOUMIEUX TRIO Saturday, June 21 JOHNNY FRIGO QUARTET Monday, June 23 & Tuesday, .ble.24 MARCUS BELGRAVE QUARTET Wednesday, June 25 & Thursday, June 26 MARGIE EVANS Friday, June 27 to Sunday, June 29 lazz Party in The· Grand Ballroom Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel 123 Queen St. West TRIBUTE TO KID BASTIEN FEATURING MAGNOLIA BRASS BAND HAPPY PALS CLIMAX JAZZ BAND Friday, June 27 • 8pm ·. lazz Party in Trader's Bar & Grill Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel 123 Queen St. West MARC ATKINSON TRIO SWING STREET LAURIE BOWER BAND & SPECIAL GUESTS Saturday, June 28 • 2pm -. \ iJ!1 Canada Trust: Lunchtime Series TD Centre'at King & York St. Free Daily performances June 23 to June 27 including HOT FIVE JAZZMAKERS Friday, June 27 • Noon 416·87.0·8000 toronto1azz.com Montreal Bistro & lazz Club 65 Sherbourne Street 416-363-0179 '.:/:·MARIAN McPARTLANDT , 1 • · :: • • Friday & Saturday, ·· ,.;::;, • June 20 & 21- 9 pm ·. ~~ '· DICK HYMAN Monday, June 23 • 9 pm ·. DICK HYMAN & DEREK SMITH Tuesday & Wednesday, · June 24 & 25 • 9 pm ·. GUIDO MANUSARDI TR ~ JAGUAR Thursday, June 26 • Noon -Fr BARRY ELMES QUINTE Thursday, June 26 • 9 pm -. BYRON STRIPLING QUARTET . Friday & Saturday, June 27 & 28 • 9pm -. Walter Hall University of Toronto Edward Johnson Building . WILD STRIDE . NEVILLE DICKIE & PAUL ASARO Thursday, June 26 • . • 8 pm

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