FFWD Weekly
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| MUSIC Jazz fan. Jazz aficionado. Jazz scholar. Jazz head. Jazz geek. I am the first to admit that I am none of the above. Not unless you take the word jazz out of any of the titles. And in a way, that seems to be what this year's Calgary Jazz Festival has done. More festival, less jazz. And that's just fine. This year's lineup is one of the most musically diverse, talented, yet accessible there has ever been. Considering the on-again off-again spell the festival went through - almost like junior high sweethearts in spring - it's one of the most impressive ever. With a twist, indeed. This is no jazz studies course. There's no test at the end. It's a festival. Get out and enjoy it. THE NO-SHIT CATEGORY · Colin James - Wednesday, June 24, Calgary Centre for Performing Arts I've seen him play to drunks at The Back Alley and to the same people at Race City Speedway - except that, unfortunately, most of those same guys were wearing tank tops at Race City. It will be a treat to see him live with the Little Big Band, doing what he does best. Little Big Band I and Volume II, which comes out the day before the show, are perhaps James's best work to date. The guitar playing is less flash, more melody, and he sounds at home singing songs like "Safronia B" and his own "Rocket to the Moon" compared to the funk-rock stuff like "Savior." On the latest record, it's even less of a guitar vehicle than the first. His solos are short, tasty and he lets all the horn players take turns more often. With a roomful of that, this show can't miss. · Los Lobos - Saturday, June 27, Calgary Centre for Performing Arts The best band in the world. At least that's what goes through my head every time I put on their last album Colossal Head. Since Kiko and through the side-project The Latin Playboys, the band members' music has been getting more and more challenging. Strange combos of horns playing in unison, strangely spiritual lyrics and strange guitar sounds that haven't been heard before backed by the genius percussion of Louie Perez. And the more David Hidalgo sings on each record, the better. Can't wait to see it all live. · Philosopher Kings - Sunday, June 28, The Palace They're cool and they're schooled - a rare combo amongst the studied crowd. You gotta like a band from the pop world who can keep you on the edge of your seat with a solo. Let's hope a jazz festival atmosphere lets them break out their chops more than on the records. And with those Marvin Gaye/Barry White lyrics and the porn movie wah pedal guitars - bring a date. · Greazy Meal - Monday, June 22, Quincy's Giving the Philosopher Kings a run for the money in the collection plate will be this soul/funk outfit from Minneapolis. Eight pieces, a lot of soul, wah-wah sax, mouth drum and roughness in the right places. Their live show features "dancers, DJs and debauchery." Members have played with Paul Westerberg, The Commodores and The New Power Generation. They've jammed with Chaka Khan and had their debut CD featured on Dennis Rodman's World Tour. Name dropping, yes, but what a list of names. SAXAMAPHONES GALORE · Lenny Pickett - Monday, June 22, The Blackfoot Inn Probably the only reason to stay up and watch that last half-hour of Saturday Night Live was to listen to Lenny Pickett solo over the ending theme. As the guest host waved and hugged the cast, sometimes you could catch a glimpse of the big guy bearing down on his horn, playing notes that were so high they weren't meant to be played on a tenor sax. (The notes that are meant to be played are just as good.) See him without the SNL credit roll. · P.J. Perry - Vivianne Cardinal Quintet w/ P.J. Perry & Earl McDonald Wednesday, June 24, Kaos Jazz & Blues One of the most exciting things I saw at any Calgary Jazz Festival was late at night in the burned-out bottom of the Granada TV building when it was called La Cuava. It was 3 a.m. and still 30 degrees. P.J. Perry wailed until they had to kick us all out. Some truly expressive playing on a magical night. Let's hope for a repeat performance when he joins Calgary's always captivating Vivianne Cardinal. · David Sanchez - Tuesday June 23, Quincy's "Latin Jazz" is often one of two things: sleepy ripoffs of Antonio Carlos Jobim or sweaty people in loud shirts dancing to a Soca band. Not so with David Sanchez. Born in Puerto Rico and living in Brooklyn, Sanchez knows the best of both worlds. He puts the jazz just enough ahead of the Latin to evoke a fresh and very passionate sound. The ballad "Sonando con Puerto Rico" from Obsesión is true testimony. · Pat Belliveau - opening for Hugh Fraser Jean Toussaint Quartet Friday, June 19, Quincy's One of Calgary's finest. Here's hoping he gets enough time in his set to showcase a lot of his newest CD, La Zona Blanca. · Terence Blanchard - Wednesday, June 24, Quincy's Just seeing if you were paying attention. A trumpet player, but a legend all the same. DARK HORSES · Willem Breuker Kollektief - Tuesday, June 23, Big Secret Theatre Their press kit reads something like Ikea instructions, but from what I can tell, the 11-piece Dutch band plays a blend of jazz, classical, "popular genres," marching band, circus music and music for "theatre and film." Said to be full of false starts, stops and gear shifts all over the place done with extreme polish. Goes great with Heineken. · Rufus Harley - Wednesday, June 24, Beat Niq The world's first jazz bagpipe player. Either the most interesting thing at the fest or punishment for all the drinking and general not-living-right. Gotta be worth a look one way or the other. · The Young Lions of Calgary - Sunday, June 21, Beat Niq Not really a dark horse and perhaps one of the most important gigs this year. Calgary players have always had a lot to offer. This show will be no exception as the city's up-and-comers gather to play a little show-and-tell in one gigantic jam. Let's hope they leave the Real Books and the textbooks at home and tear the place up a bit. |
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