Preview
SEKOYA
Jazz Festival Calgary
June 20 and 21
Brew Brothers
In light of the cancellation of the Way Out at the Warehouse series at the TD Canada Trust Jazz Festival Calgary, jazzheads and beatmongers of the new generation are left without the groove of nujazz and electronic artists. But for those searching for something different in a schedule full of easy listening, straight-ahead jazz and bebop, Sekoya stands as an island of beats, groove and soul.
Hailing from Vancouver, the group has been making waves ever since they joined the ranks of LTJ Bukem, Llorca and Koop on Nutone's 2003 jazz beat compilation Sunset Nights. They describe their music as all-encompassing and lead vocalist Amalia Townsend has no problem applying beat-driven descriptors with abandon.
"If I had to describe Sekoya's music – I would say, nujazz explosions and electronic excursions," she says. "We’re a collective of cats that just want to help tend music for future generations. There’s no real classification needed, really. Well maybe soul-funk-bebop-downtempo-afrobeat-broken-beat-house-ambient-hip hop all in one."
It seems to work. Sekoya are being called everything from the future of soul, to lounge music for spaceships, and critics and audiences alike are digging what they hear. It’s Sekoya’s awareness of their future that puts them miles ahead of other nujazz, beat-oriented groups.
"There’s this huge movement happening all over the globe," says Townsend. "From Berlin to Tokyo to West London – futurists who want to challenge people with intellectual, groovy music." From such artists as Bugz in the Attic, Jazzanova, Prefuse 73, and Beans, who take their cues from Herbie Hancock and Minnie Ripperton, Sekoya’s counterparts are breaking out all over. "Future soul is just one title for it – soul being music that moves people to get on their feet and express themselves through dance. I think it is possible for music to be intellectual and groovy without the ego."
Self-awareness as a musical group can sometimes lead to more concept than substance, but with the help of her co-leaders, saxophonist Alvin Cornista (a.k.a. Vinstar), and programmer Dan Kearley, Townsend still manages to keep both feet on the ground.
"The three of us take leadership in different ways," says Townsend. "I think it's only natural that the singer is seen as the leader, but that isn't so in Sekoya. Alvin is the band leader/booking agent/rehearsal organizer and Dan, well, he's our tech guy, our sound guy and main music production expert."
Though Townsend, Cornista and Kearley make up the core of the group, Sekoya’s sound stems from some of the best young jazz musicians from the Vancouver scene – trumpet player Kent Wallace, drummer Nino DiPasquale, keyboardist Chris Gestrin and percussionist Jack Duncan round out the group. Townsend likes to use the term "destinos" (the Italian word for fate) to describe Sekoya’s meeting of the minds.
She had known Cornista since high school, but they didn’t hang out together until they were both studying at Capilano College. She was studying the music business and he was finishing off his jazz degree.
"The two of us are hugely into fashion, crazy shoes, funky hair. One day I complimented him on his baby blue sax case and the rest is history. Dan knew Vinstar through music-school buds, too. The three of us met, bumped out a tune. The next second we were on a North American Nutone release collaborating with Joshua Redman's rhythm section – Greg Hutchinson and Reuben Rogers and Metalwood's Brad Turner. I think our excitement and passion for music spurred us to meet." |
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