>>PREVIEW
SIMON FISK QUARTET
Thursday, May 18
Friday, May 19
Beat Niq
Jazz bassist Simon Fisk has a lot going on. First, he’s new to the city since his jump from Vancouver in the fall of 2005. Second, he has a lot of new material slated for his next CD. Lastly, he has a new group, a quartet composed of Fisk, Chris Gestrin (piano), Aaron Young (guitar), and Kenton Loewen on drums. Put that together with two gigs in May that showcase the new material and group, and you’d think you’d have enough on your plate. Not for Fisk – the performances at Beat Niq are going to be recorded.
For most of us, a live recording would be a challenge, but for Fisk, who also produces, leads, promotes and plays in his group, this is all part of the experience. He laughs when asked if the live recording will be difficult.
"I’m gonna let Aaron (Young) sort that one out," says Fisk, "because Aaron’s going to kind of run the show a bit on the recording."
It will be more than that, though, as Fisk explains that he’ll have help from his brother Tim, also an accomplished musician. It is a tall order, but Fisk, who has done it twice before, is determined to maintain the live sound that defines the band’s music.
"There’s definitely an energy you can capture on recording it live."
This combination of live recording and new material is part of what makes Fisk’s performances so dynamic. It’s also the flexibility of his compositions – each performance has the potential to be a "new" sound.
"I see my music as sort of an impetus for the people in the band, sort of here’s just an idea and I’ll give it to you guys and let’s all turn it into something. I don’t write super detailed music…. It changes every night how we piece them together."
But isn’t this mix of new material and a new quartet a difficult combination? Fisk has no worries, he’s known Gestrin and Loewen for years and he’s been playing with Young since he arrived in the city.
"I trust the guys 200 per cent," says Simon. "I have no hesitation about it. Even when I take the music, I just take lead sheets and I don’t tell them what to play or how it’s supposed to be played – I just trust them, I know how they play and that’s why I’ve chosen them." |
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