Island Jazz

Trombonist Nick La Riviere is back at Hermann’s next Friday with a string-loaded septet that promises a great show. Adrian Dolan, Karel Roessingh, and Damian Graham are just three of the musicians who will help La Riviere serve up his lively sound. He also promises “a very special guest” who usually only plays big theatre gigs. Friday, Feb. 24, 8pm, Hermann’s, Tickets $16 at the door.  250-388-9166 for reservations.

Vancouver vocalist and pianist Flora Ware returns to the Island next week with her unique brand of hip jazz and original soul/pop. I recently

Vocalist Flora Ware appears in Courtenay, Duncan and Victoria

listened to her debut album Insight produced by Rick Kilburn and Peter Berring and I can tell you this lady is good. She’s been compared to Nora Jones but frankly Ware is better, at least on record, with more power and intimacy in her voice. She’s at the Elks Hall in Courtenay on Thursday, Feb. 23, the Duncan Garage Showroom on Friday, Feb. 24, and Hermann’s on Saturday, Feb. 25. All shows are at 8pm. For the Victoria show at least, she’ll be joined by John MacArthur on guitar, Damian Graham on drums, and Victoria-born-and-raised Sam Shoichet on bass. I’d reserve for this one. More info and music samples at her website.

Jazz at the Gallery presents the Tony Westlake Trio in concert on Sunday, February 26 at 2 pm at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria. The Spencer Mansion offers a beautiful setting for the kind of  intimate piano jazz that Westlake will deliver . As Joe Coughlin remarked following his appearance there in January, it’s like attending one of the old salon concerts in the homes of the wealthy. A great way to spend a Sunday afternoon and you can take in the art as well. Tickets are limited and so get them early.  $30/$25 for U-JAM and AGGV members. (250) 384-4171

If you like your jazz with food, a number of weekly restaurant and lounge shows are also happening this month. U-JAM has an excellent calendar on their site listing the venues. Check it out here.

If you are in Nanaimo tonight (Friday, Feb. 17) take in The Marty’s at the Front Street Grill with vocalist Joan Wallace. The Marty’s are Marty Steele on keys, Marty Howe on flute and jazz chromatic harmonica and James McRae on drums. They promise a lively mix of standards, bossa nova, and hot Latin. 8 – 11:30 pm. No cover. If you can’t make it this Friday, or you would like to sit in with the Marty’s, go down to Diners on Tuesday Feb 21st 8:00 to 11:00pm, where they’ll  open with a Gershwin set and then host a “Master Jam” at Rendezvous.

A few years ago I wrote a feature for Monday Magazine that assessed the state of the jazz scene in Victoria and on Vancouver Island. The conclusions were mixed – lots of good

Jazz and gospel vocalist Kim Pacheco performs at Hermann's Friday night

things going on but plenty of growth still needed, particularly in terms of developing more venues and boosting cultural funding. The situation isn’t much different today but one thing is certain: as was the case then, there’s a lot of great music happening in such a tiny corner of the world.

We need look no further than this month to verify the truth of that statement:

Hot on the heels of the highly successful launch of his Night of the Cookers series, Kelby MacNayr launches his new Vocalismo Concert Series this weekend. The name is a bit peculiar but the series promises to be superb, kicking off on Friday night with jazz and gospel great Kim Pacheco from North Carolina with pianist Richard White Jr, Roy Styffe, Sean Drabitt and Kelby MacNayr backing her. Friday, Feb. 17th, 8pm at Hermann’s $18/15 (VJS, UJam) $12 student. Tickets available in advance at Hermann’s and Larsen’s Music.

The following night, the same line-up heads over to Oak Bay United Church to perform a concert to benefit AfriCare in its work in the Southern Sudan and beyond.  Admission by donation (suggested $20) Saturday, Feb. 18th, 7 pm at Oak Bay United Church, 1355 Mitchell St, Victoria.

This weekend, as well, The Brent Jarvis Trio performs at the Church of the Advent in Colwood as part of their ongoing jazz vespers series. This is an excellent venue where you can really listen to the music and Rev. Ken Gray always has something good to say. You don’t need to be religious to attend this one – just come and enjoy the music.  Sunday, February 19 at 7 p.m. Church of the Advent, 510 Mount View Ave (off Sooke Rd.) in Colwood /Admission by donation.

More shows to be added – stay tuned.

A new incarnation of the Kelby MacNayr Quintet, featuring four internationally acclaimed musicians, moves into Hermann’s on Thursday for a two-night live concert and recording session stand.

Given the quality of the players –Miles Black (piano), Phil Dwyer (sax), Daniel Lapp (trumpet), Tom Wakeling (bass), and MacNayr on drums – this promises to be one of the more adventuresome jazz events of the year.

“These musicians are all people that I have been fortunate to work with in different settings here in Victoria, in Vancouver or in Washington State,” says MacNayr. ” Each brings a certain energy and chemistry – I’m excited to see what happens!”

MacNayr has chosen to record in front of a live audience, rather than going into a studio where the group would have the luxury of several takes to perfect the material, an approach that is bound to ensure that everyone is on his game and the excitement level is high.

Some of the best recordings in jazz have been produced at live concerts.  The Bill Evans Trio: Sunday at the Village Vanguard, The Paul Desmond Quartet Live (recorded at Bourbon Street in Toronto), and Keith Jarrett’s The Koln Concert are just three that come to mind.

MacNayr is taking bold new steps with his latest projects. This may be the best yet.  Highly recommended.

Thursday and Friday, February 2nd and 3rd at Hermann’s Jazz Club.  Advanced tickets are available from Hermann’s and Larsen’s Music. $20/$18 (VJS, UJam) $15 student. Reservations recommended. (250) 388-9166 or at info@hermannsjazz.com.

Award-winning vocalist Joe Coughlin makes a rare Victoria appearance  this Sunday, January 29 from 2-4 pm at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria when he kicks off the 2012 edition of Jazz at the Gallery.

Coughlin will appear in an intimate trio setting with Jodi Proznick on bass and Tony Genge on piano.

A three-time National Jazz Award winner, Coughlin has garnered critical praise around the world and is arguably one of the best interpreters of the American songbook performing today.

The concert is a co-production of the AGGV and U-JAM.

Highly recommended.

Tickets are $30 ($25 for AGGV and U-JAM members). More info here.

Brad Turner Headlines VCM's January Jazz Concert

Vancouver trumpet and flugelhorn master Brad Turner headlines the Victoria Conservatory of Music’s January Jazz concert on Wednesday, January 25, 7:30 pm, at Alix Goolden Hall.

Appearing with Turner are George McFetridge on piano, Gord Clements on sax and clarinet, Joey Smith on bass, and Damian Graham on drums.

The quintet will present Turner’s award-winning  compositions and standards from the jazz repertoire.

They’ll also host a jazz master class at 3:30 where they’ll answer questions as they rehearse for the evening concert.

Turner is one of Canada’s greats. Highly recommended.

Tickets: Adults $25 / Students & Seniors $15
call 250.386.5311 / in person – 900 Johnson St – VCM Front Desk

More info here.

photo courtesy of Jesse Cahill

I want to thank Ken Lister for filling me in on the details of the upcoming show at VIU in Nanaimo because this is a concert that jazz fans up and down the Island won’t want to miss, particularly those with a hankering to hear a Hammond B3.

The Nightcrawlers, fresh off a WCMA win for the best jazz album of 2011, appear at the Malaspina Theatre on Wednesday, January 18 at 7:30pm.

Dedicated to recreating the sound and feel of the great B3 bands of the ’60s (think Booker T and the MG’s), this Vancouver quintet, led by drummer Jesse Cahill, has been praised in Downbeat magazine for its authentic sound, swagger and swing.

The WCMA win is for their latest album “Down in the Bottom” which features not only the quintet but also a big band, which they’ll have with them at the VIU show.

These guys sound awesome. Have a listen and get yourself to the concert. Doors open at 7pm. Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for students.

Percussionist and impresario Kelby MacNayr asked if I would write a review of his newly-minted “Night of the Cookers” series that launched at Hermann’s last night with an appearance by Phil Dwyer accompanied by MacNayr on percussion and Ken Lister on bass.

I thought I probably wouldn’t because I’ve written a lot about Dwyer lately.

Then I went to the show and was once again gobsmacked by this giant of jazz who lives amongst us mere mortals here on Vancouver Island.

Covering everything from Coltrane to Evans to Rollins on sax and piano, along with a few original compositions and arrangements, Dwyer and the trio wowed a packed house that included a number of Victoria’s top jazz musicians.

Actually “covering” is the wrong word because Dwyer does more than that – he channels the jazz greats, all the while infusing their music with his own soulful and playful energy.

It goes without saying that he’s technically and musically brilliant, but he also brings a drive, energy, and joy to his playing that elevates the music, his audience, and his band mates as he challenges them to go beyond themselves.

Both Lister and MacNayr rose to that challenge, with Lister delivering several gorgeous bass solos and MacNayr, ever the consummate and subtle accompanist,  playing with added muscle.

It was a thrilling show, made all the better by Dwyer’s witty and adept handling of the drunk at the back who insisted on shouting out questions every time he introduced a tune.

Just before jumping into the closing piece, a slightly exasperated but still-in-good-humour Dwyer responded, “I don’t need to talk to you, I can listen to the voices in my own head.”

That pretty well silenced her and ultimately it was the music that spoke the loudest.