Jazz Festival Picks - Round One:
by co-founders:
Ken Pickering / Artistic Director
John Orysik / Media Director
Friday, June 13, 2014
Twitter: ken_pickering
Blog: http://vanjazzfest.blogspot.ca/
Blog: http://vanjazzfest.blogspot.ca/
As we all know it’s a mugs game to indulge in top 5 or 10 lists, nonetheless today we’re going to take that idea and mess with it. Not knowing where to begin or end - we've landed at 8 picks (sort of). Bear in mind that these are only some of the shows that we’re very excited about on this day – tomorrow the lists could be and probably will be different - but still heavy! This is Round One.
Bobby McFerrin
Media Director – John Orysik
A vocal gymnast but one who uses his singular gifts in service of the music. Passionate, spontaneous improviser. The sound of surprise indeed! Currently re-imagining a lot of spirituals and gospel material.
Searing Indo Jazz fusion with micro-tonalities, gritty rock references and propulsive rhythms. Saw the band is Chicago last summer - sa-mokin'!
David's Angels
Mind blowing vocals and songwriting from Sofie Norling bordering on the despairing and mournful yet so lyrical, compelling and cathartic. Jazz, rock, minimalism and Maggie Olin's keyboard smarts inform this magical outfit.
This former Vancouverite (now Brooklynite) is making the big band relevant again. His intriguing compositions overflow with modern ideas, brilliant voicings, and a curious blend of jazz, contemporary classical influences, rock allusions and more. Did I mention the musicianship? Superb!
A young Chilean saxophonist with a bright future. Shades of Lester Young-ish silkiness, Getz's soft round tone, and Joe Henderson's power and grit. And with Francisco Mela in the trio—look out!
Tigran
Power, lyricism, swing and brimming with innovative ideas. With so much praise lavished on him from the likes of Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock and others, his is a most anticipated concert.
Smokin' trio meets smokin' guitarist. Intelligent and forward looking groovemeisters are going to turn up the heat and keep it there.
Not the same great band I saw in Chicago last year but Charles always surrounds himself with superlative players that push the agenda. I'm there for sure.
Artistic Director – Ken Pickering
I decided not to include any of the artists that I've already included in blog posts - did I succeed hmm? Also tried not to be super obvious with the picks.
A no brainer! This big band blow out with two giants of the contemporary large ensemble will be a once in a lifetime experience – can’t wait to hear HRO knock their Darcy commission outa the park! And Darcy’s from Vancouver. (See what John said - double hit for Darcy on a show with limited seating that will sell out!)
Incredible band organized by Norwegian bassist Ole Morten Vagan after winning an award from the Kongsberg Festival a few short years ago – with Germans –Axel Dorner – trumpet, Rudi Mahall – bass clarinet and Swedes Fredrik Ljungkvist - reeds and Jon Fålt on drums. Rainbow heard this band at Natt Jazz in Bergen. Can’t wait will be schmokin!
Human Feel
This concert has special resonance for me. I met these musicians over 20 years ago when they were fresh out of Berklee on their first foray in the northwest (Jim and Chris are from Seattle) at a small gallery in Gastown – they played for 2 people and I was one of them! They were awesome and we’ve been friends ever since. Jim Black, Andrew D’Angelo, Chris Speed and Kurt Rosenwinkel. They rarely tour making this a show to catch!
Heavy-metal jazz, Norwegian-style, par-excellence. Drummer Gard Nilssen is the next heavy cat out of that scene, comfortable and creative in all contexts from solo percussion to acoustic jazz. This power trio (guitar, bass, drums) burns – hopefully they’ll play their incredible version of Ornette’s Lonely Woman. While you’re at it don’t miss Hedvig Mollestad Trio the other Heavy-metal jazz, Norwegian-style, par-excellence a couple of hours later on the same stage. These are free shows! Unreal!
Bushman's Revenge (Norway)
Oh oh – more Norway. Susanna has a golden voice of mystery and I love it – her own songs as well as her covers stand the ultimate test – for me that’s repeated listening without getting that feeling of ok great, but enough, what’s next. Seriously I love all of her albums, but I have to confess to listening to Wild Dogs at least 100 times (great in the car).
Susanna
I first became aware of this talented Cuban pianist when he arrived in Toronto to join Jane Bunnett’s band a decade or so back. He’s since moved to NYC and joined forces with great leaders such as Henry Threadgill (one of his teachers), Tomasz Stanko and Chris Potter. Receiving accolades by the car load – this dude is going to show us some serious stuff! Can’t wait. David Virelles speaks.
Over the past couple of years I’ve gotten to know Sunna quite well (Jazz Ahead, Bremen) – she first performed for us around a decade back. Now she’s got a fresh new disc that highlights a very personal approach to the piano trio that harkens back to Paul Bley. I’ve been spinning this one a ton.
Hard core non-idoiomatic improvising bassist Torsten Müller’s rotating aggregation almost always includes the significant Vancouver drummer Dylan van der Schyff – on this occasion we can consider ourselves very lucky to bear witness to one of the most important vocal improvisers of our time, UK's Phil Minton. Also joining will be two Swedes – excellent pianist Lisa Ullén and first call trombonist Mats Aleklint (Fire Orchestra, Paal Nilssen-Love, Alberto Pinton).
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