Opening Weekend 2014
June 23, 2014
by: Ken Pickering - Artistic Director / Co-Founder
twitter: ken_pickering
photography: Chris Cameron unless otherwise noted.
On a early Monday afternoon the weather seems to turning grey with a few sprinkles of rain. But that's cool - John and I just returned from hearing most of a Performance Works set with the burning Bridge Quartet with Phil Dwyer, Darrell Grant, Tom Wakeling and Alan Jones. Fresh, relaxed, top calibre hard-bop from a band that can hold their own with anyone on the scene. A treat to hear Qualicum's Phil Dwyer in this unfettered context with Oregonian (Cascadia) musicians that he goes back quite a few years with - everyone's great - drummer Alan Jones in particular is a regional treasure that we don't hear enough of on this side of the border. Their fiery version of I Hear a Rhapsody was a highlight.
The Bridge Quartet (photo: John Orysik)
The rest of this post will be a snapshot of our weekend festivities - outdoors and indoors - with a bit of commentary sprinkled in. The Downtown Jazz Weekend was a record setter for us - blessed with two days of unbelievably gorgeous almost tropical (for Vancouver) weather that blew away both artists and audiences alike - along with the new big screen, the bar was raised a few notches. The addition of that big screen at Georgia Stage brought increased audience engagement from patrons listening outside of the best sight lines and in the beer garden - creating massive audience buzz for artists like Ester Rada, Lady and Nomadic Massive.
The Komagata Maru incident of 1914 inspired two very different musical projects - still there was a common thread in personnel that tied the two together - both André Lachance (bass) and Chris Gestrin (piano / keys) were in both bands - Michael Blake quipped that they could be the Funk Brothers of Vancouver.
Neelamjit Dhillon's Komagata Maru (photo: kp)
Neelamjit Dhillon (tabla / sax) fronted a quartet at Performance Works on Saturday afternoon that was completed by drummer Dan Gaucher. Their presentation was a multi-media performance with moving emotionally charged photography from the archival documents of the incident to augment the music and Neel's extensive contextual words between the songs. Shore Committee: Bonds of Ancestral Kinship was beautiful, as was J. Edward Bird: Reflections on Justice. Powerful music- the energy in the capacity room was electric - with the audience erupting spontaneously during the quasi trading fours between Dan's drums and Neel's tabla. Overall a concert that was something more, something much heavier than I'd anticipated - another festival highlight.
Nicole Wray with Lady
Ester Rada
Nomadic Massive
That's what I'm talking about - these two ladies - Nicole Wray (Lady) and Ester Rada set the house of fire, or at least the Georgia Stage was awfully HOT on Saturday and Sunday respectively. Nicole's old school soul stylings and Ester Rada's (Israeli born Ethiopian) reggae tinged, urban world funk was explosive. Montreal's Nomadic Massive took it to overflow! The capacity crowds were shaking it hard!
Michael Blake's Komagata Maru Blues
Another festival highlight - Michael Blake's Komagata Maru Blues at the Ironworks on Sunday night - incredible music that showcased the improvisatory talents of Vancouver's highly rated jazz community - JP Carter, Ron Samworth (a stalwart throughout the opening weekend - killing performances with Electric Miles, with MB, Film in Music, Hard Rubber), André Lachance, Chris Gestrin, Peggy Lee, Dylan van der Schyff and Neelamjit Dhillon sitting in for one piece.
Susanna
Susanna's concert at the Ironworks was crystalline and pure - with Helge Sten on guitar (Supersilent, John Paul Jones) and Frederik Wallumrod drums - seriously - I just adore her voice and those well crafted songs that imprint in the memory in a good way. I was pleased to hear some of my favourites from the Wild Dogs album. Wolf in the Garden anyone? Only a Norwegian would write that song.
Norma Winstone
Norma Winstone / Glauco Venier / Klaus Gesing - this chamber jazz trio features one of the finest vocalists in any genre - UK's Norma Winstone. So unbelievable - with three superb ECM discs to their credit, this concert was highly anticipated by aficionados and didn't disappoint. Another festival highlight: Friulian folk songs to Fred Neil and Madonna - Norma Winstone tackles a diverse repertoire with an instrument that eschews vibrato - preferring a clear and perfectly enunciated poetic approach that is deeply touching - her wordless vocals work superbly with this music and never irritate. Just an incredible musical conversation that enthralled the audience at Performance Works.
Ellen Brekken / Hedvig Mollestad
Norwegian power trio led by guitarist Hedvig Mollestad tears it up Sunday on the Georgia Stage. As Morgan Childs tweeted - CRUSHING! I heard them in Molde last year and knew what to expect. Check out their discs on Rune Grammofon.
This post is starting to get just a little long - and I know you're not supposed to do that if you want folks to read this stuff. But what the hell - here's a final few shots from the weekend.
Madison and Bobby McFerrin Sunday night at the Orpheum. I wish I could have stayed for the entire Bobby McFerrin concert! Damn - he really is that good and I just love this project of spirituals - spirityouall indeed.
Rudresh Mahanthappa's Gamak was crushing it at Performance Works. What a killer band - with Rez Abbasi - guitar, the monster Dan Weiss - drums and Rich Brown - bass. This was a superb performance - a fusion of raga and hard edged jazz - no clear antecedents, but I was reminded of early Oliver Lake with Michael Gregory Jackson, M-Base and Mahavishnu. Looking forward to bearing witness to this band's continued development. I'm sure there's more to come.
No photos: but I'd like to give honourable mentions to the beautiful Sun Trio (from Finland) - exquisite at Performance Works Sunday afternoon. The burnished trumpet sound of Jorma Kalevi Louhivuori was a treat for tired ears. Gorgeous trio music augmented by tasteful electronics. (JP Carter uses similar devices to different ends).
Finally - I wrapped it out last night at the Ironworks with Sun Ra's Star System - organized by drummer Dan Gaucher (Fond of Tigers, Monk's Music, Cat Toren etc). A fantastic assemblage of the younger tip of the local scene - they've got fresh take on Ra's music. Great to hear John Paton, Skye Brooks +++ old guard Tony Wilson anchoring on guitar. This is a band that I'd like to hear a lot more of. Accessible interplanetary jazz for the people.
That's it - more shows to come. Satoko Fujii at Ironworks tonight - also Jason Marsalis at Performance Works.
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