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Volume 9 Issue 5 - February 2004

  • Text
  • February
  • Toronto
  • Jazz
  • Theatre
  • Arts
  • Musical
  • Symphony
  • Choral
  • Composer
  • Quartet

JAZZ NOTES by Jim

JAZZ NOTES by Jim Galloway A Hot February February is certainly a month with lots going on. The winter blahs don't stand a chance against all the jazz activity in and around town. No wonder there is an extra day in the month! Gird your loins, check the listings in this issue and you will have some idea of what I mean. I SA y IN AND AROUND town because one of the events to look out for is taking place at Mohawk College -in Hamilton when The Steeltown Friends of Mohawk Jazz will bring in Canaqian born, musician, writer and arranger Kenny Wheeler and interpretive jazz vocalist, Norma Winstone for a week long artists-in-residence programme with the faculty and students of the Mohawk College. Kenny is one of the world's most creative fluegelhorn masters, while Ms. Winstone is living proof of what an amazing musical instrument the human voice can be., You can find out for yourself on Saturday, February 7, when they appear in concert at The Keith Mcintyre Theatre, Mohawk College Fennell Campus, West 5th. & Fennell Avenue, Hamilton, with the Dave McMurdo Jazz Orchestra, an event which will climax a day long high school jazz festival featuring big bands from a wide range of Ontario schools . Call (905) 575 2044 for tickets. LATER IN THE MONTH there are a couple of events guaranteed to whet jazz appetites and turn the spotlight on jazz in Toronto. The National Jazz A wards on February 24th. take place this year in the up-market venue of the Elgin & Winter Garden Theatre where contributions to jazz excellence in Canada will be acknowledged. Nominees are selected by a committee of industry leaders paying tribute· to outstanding Canadian achievements in 2003. Categ9ries include: Jazz Journalist of the Year; Jazz Broadcaster of the Year; Jazz Festival of the Year; Jazz Producer of the Year; and International Musician of the Year. Hosts for the evening will be two of Canada's most popular vocalists, Denzal Sinclaire and Ranee Lee. Add to that an all-star line-up of Canadian artists includ~ ing vocalist Holly Cole, The Shuffle Demons' 20th Anniversary Reunion, The Denny Christianson' Sextet, The Humber College Big Band, vibraphonist Peter Appleyard, bassist Roberto Occhipinti' s Nonet, vocalist Sophie Milman and pianist and composer Lorraine Desmarais. Tickets for the National Jazz Awards 'range from .00 for reserved seating to .00 for seating and a VIP cock.tail reception. Tickets are available by . calling TicketMaster at (416) 872-5555 or online at www.ticketmaster.ca. The event also gives CBC Radio the opportunity to showcase jazz in a network hook-up on this one night in the year when the industry gets to congratulate itself for achievements in the past year. Even if choosing "the best" in the various categories is a Iessthan-perfect exercise, at least jazz does get some much needed attention on a national level. w!!l'h> Christ Church Deer Park presents ·····"·'' J'\ ., ., Featuring some of Toronto's best jazz musicians with a brief reflection by Jazz Vespers Clergy Sunday, Feb. 8 - 4:30 p.m PHIL DWYER, piano SCOTT ALEXANDER, bass BRIAN BARLOW, drums Sunday, Feb. 22 - 4:30 pm JOE SEALY, piano PAUL NOVOTNY, bass Christ Church Deer Park, 1570 Yonge Stref3t (north of St. Clair at Heath St.) 416-920-5211 Admission is free. An offering is received to support the work of the Church, including Jazz Vespers. I The month goes out in style on the 27th, 28th and 29th - there's that _extra day - with the Toronto Downtown Jazz Party, an intimate, freewheeling weekend feast of jazz in the ring-a-ding toe-tapping tradition, showcasing some of the best in the world. It certainly promises to be a weekend to remember. Among the guests are, on cornet, Warren Vache, no stranger to Toronto audiences and newcomer, Jon-ErikKellso, trombonist John Allred, Marty Grosz on guitar and vocals and singer Ada Lee. There is an interesting pairing of tenor saxophones with the veteran Franz Jackson and the relatively young Harry Allen. Come to think of it, even I am relatively young compared to Franz! On piano, John Bunch and Johnny Varro will do the honours, with bassist Keter Betts and drummers Jackie Williams and Jake Hanna rounding out the rhythm sections. The home town will be represented as well. At time of writing Reg Schwager, Neil Swainson, Don Vickery and yours truly are confirmed. It's an opportunity to listen to and interact with some of your favour-ite musicians in a relaxed and casual setting with performances in the Dominion Ball- Kenny Wheeler room and Trader's' Bar & Grill. Weekend, all-day and single performance tickets are available in advance for the Dominion Ballroom. Trader's Bar & Grill tickets available at the door. A week-end pass which includes all shows - space permitting in Trader's is $ll0. Individual tickets are also available at prices ranging from .00 to ..00. The numbers to call are (416) 928-2033 9:30am- 5:00pm and 1-800-205-7638 outside of Toronto. See you there! March may come in like a lion, but February is certainly going out like one. Happy listening . In the Listings ... pages 46,47 The National Jazz Awards aren't until the 24th, but for those who can't wait, many of the nominees ate. performing around the city this month in the clubs - as well as award winners of a different sort. Cuban pianist David Virelles, winner of the newly created Oscar Peterson A ward, · plays with Grammy nominee Jane Bunnett at the Rex February 13th. Bunnett will also be featured at Humber College's Latin Jazz Night along with various student ensembles: Also in February, Harbourfront celebrates African Heritage Month with · KUUMBA- a month long celebration which includes the Black Underground - A rare live performance by legendary Chicago Jazz sax player Fred Anderson al KUUMBA February 6 concert series, featuring jazz tributes to Bob Marley and Nina Simone, along with performances by Fred Anderson, Doug Richardson and many others. And speaking of tributes, February also marks the first anniversary of the death of Kid Ba8tien - who led the famous Happy Pals sessions at Grossman's. This month, Grossman's hosts "Kid Bastien Forever", February 6 and 7. _Sophia Perlman· WWW. THEWHOLENOTE.COM FEBRUARY 1 - MARCH 7 2004

BAND STAND by Merlin Williams I'VE BEEN FORTUNATE to play in some pretty good bands iri my time, but I had the opportunity last month to hear what is quite possibly one of the best bands in the world. I went to Fairfax VA for the annual 27th Annual U.S. Navy Saxophone Symposium·. The Navy band played a concert' on the Friday night with guest soloist Eugene Rousseau. The saxophone solos were excellent, but it was the numbers the band played on their own that.really caught my attention. ·The balance, !One and dynamic range of the group was superb. Since saxophones were the featured instrument for the weekend, when the band played Stars and Stripes Forever, the saxophone section played the first strain of the piccolo obbligato section a cappella. The band also performed a piece entitled "Ghost Train", . which I've encountered before on disc. This was the first time I've heard it live, and it was wonderfully evocative. LONG & McQuADE's "Heart of the Hom" clinic series is running again this month. All of the clinics take place in the seminar rooms above the keyboard at Long & McQuade's Bloor & Ossington location. Paµ! Brodie, the, most recorded concert saxophonist in history returns on Feb. 7 with popular "Helpful Hints for Saxophonists" clinic . . One of Canada's jazz pioneers, both as performer and educator, Phil Nimmons is presenting a clinic entitled "Extreme Clarinet" on Feb. 14. This would be great opportunity for concert band clarinet players who need some stylistic guidance for playing jazz influenced pieces. Phil is a master of the upper register of Eugene Rousseau the·clarinet too, and happy to share some of the secrets of playing well into the stratosphere. Gordon Wolfe; Associate Principal Trombonist of the TSO is doing a session entitled "Good Habits vs. J?ad Habits" on Feb. 21. Come on down and find out if your practice routine is making you better or worse! The last clinic in the series i_s on February 28th, and it's a Jupiter Product Session. Alex Kt,mdakcioglu (Brass) and Merlin Williams (Woodwinds) will be on hand to answer questions; participants are encourage to bring their mouthpieces and try out the Jupiter product line. Feel free to pick Merlin's brain about mouthpieces too! A COUPLE OF REMINDERS: The Festival Wind Orchestra is holding a piano competition. The winner will perform the 1st movement of the Grieg Piano Concerto in A minor with the band at two concerts in. June. Applications to·auditon must be received by Feb. 26. Call 416- 491-1683 to get further details and an application. The U of T Wind Ensemble and Concert Band are performing some exceptional works on Feb . . CONTINUES NEXT PAGE HARKNETT )"'!.~~~Musical Services Ltd. MUSIC BOOKS BEST SELECTION OF POPULAR & EDUCATIONAL MUSIC Piano - Guitar - Instrumental Mid-To\Vn Store Brass - Woodwind - String Instruments - Guitar Buy direct from the Distributor 416-423-9494 AlTTHORIZED DEALER FOR: 943 Eglinton Ave. E. (W. of Leslie) Armstrong, Artley, Besson, Benge (Next door to Robert Lowrey's Piano Experts) Boosey & Hawkes, Buffet; Conn Getzen, Jupiter, Keilworth, King Main Store Ibanez Guitars, Scher! & Ruth String Inst. www.harknertmusic.com 905-477-1141 2650 john Street Gust North ofSteeles) ~1~ •• TORONTo-· . ~JAZZ~ FEB 27.28.29,'2004 Artists Include: The Dominion Ballroom and Trader's Bar and Grill @ Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel · Harry Allen-tenor sax ·John Allred-trombone . · Keter Betts-bass · jon-Erik Kellso-trumpet ·Marty Grosz-guitar and vocals ·Jake Hanna-drums · Franz Jackson-tenor ·John Bunch-piano ·Johnny Varro-piano ·Warren Vache-cornet ·Jackie Williams-drums ·Jim Galloway-soprano sax · Reg Schwager-guitar · Neil Swainson-bass . For the complete line up go to. WWW. TORONTOJAZZ.COM $ 2 5-$ 3 5 individual ticke-~s 0. oo weekend badge (access to all shows) locally call 416.928.2033 $ 2 45. oo weekend package includes access to all shows and 2 nights at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel call 1.800.205.7638 or visit WWW.TORONTOJAZZLIVE.COM '"~ 'ii! Toron.t. I.ii TOH.ONTO STAR ~ JAZZJMm Sheraton C~nlre II 0 T 1-' I, I GlYAMAHA lrE~B·R-UA•R•Y•,iiiiiii_•M·A·R·C·H~7~2~0~0~4!iliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiw~w~w~.l~H~EW!unHOLENOTE.COM -~~- 23 I'

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