-- +1 for Branford Marsalis (with Jeff Watts and Reginald Veal)

-- Also, I have wanted to see Stanley Jordan live since watching an old recording him on Letterman. Live it sounded great, however, I have not enjoyed any of his cds that much.

-- Herbie

I know... his website is a gas... I forgot you did the Big Band thing last year, Steve... sorry 'bout that...

That doesn't sound strange at all, bvev... i didn't realize that ingrid is coming this year... that's great. I'll never complain about having to go see Brad Turner or Sharon Minemoto or Ollie Gannon... those cats are the greatest! It's nice that a lot of the shows that we locals get to play are free too... more exposure. come hear my band (fourgasm) at the Lonsdale Quay on the 28th at 2 pm, and on Granville Island on Canada Day at 1pm!

You will never convince me that there is only one kind of music to be listened to on this planet (bebop and straight ahead jazz - as a couple people, I think, seem to be saying). I love that music too and when it's performed on its highest level...it's the best. But I don't believe that if it's not bebop, it's not worth listening to. I'm more interested in checking out music...not clarifying definitions of a word. Back in the 50s guys like Parker and Duke and Dizzy HATED the word "jazz" because they thought having their music defined automatically put borders on their music.

I just don't believe genre has anything to do with quality. You can have brilliant musicians playing many different kinds of music - and as a listener you might have to make a few subtle adjustments to hear that music in its proper context.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I think many people spend their lives understanding a certain musical language, learning the nuances of that language, becoming huge fans of that language, and then when confronted with music outside of their comfort zone, react less favorably than they would to their favorite music. I think every type of music needs a slightly different set of ears to listen to whether its' Metalwood, Mozart, Mobley, Memphis Slim, Messien, Mingus, Mangelsdorff, Marilyn Crispell, Marilyn Manson, Marilyn Chambers or DJ Bob. Vive la difference!

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Oh yeah... and Brookmeyer.. that would be rad. Imagine him and Jim Hall duo on the Vogue stage... or better yet, the Cultch? That would be incredible. I have another trombonist for you.... Roswell Rudd, baby! Roswell is the shit...

Steve... Kelsly Grant is a friend of mine from Banff... and... uh.. he lives in Montreal, not LA. Kelly now lives in Toronto I think. Maybe those aren't the LA guys you were talking about. Yeah, maybe I'M confused, and YOU'RE not. Nimish... Branford now plays with Eric Revis (ever since Kenny Kirkland died), who, IMHO, nobody on the scene can touch (save maybe Veal). Revis is a bad bad bad bad bad bad bad motherfucker, and that band just keeps getting better. Would love to see them play live.

Hey Man, you don't need a defense! ;-)

Elvin is in that category too, of course - still BURNIN' after all these years. I believe he just did a duo concert with Cecil Taylor at Birdland last week. I'd love to see him again...

Al

PS: I don't remember who mentioned McCoy, but he the headliner at the original 2-day festival, back when there was one night at the Queen E. and one at the Commodore. I can't even remember who played the Queen E. gig (though I do remember Al Wiertz in the back up band). McCoy played the second night at the Commodore...

Great suggestions, Al. Ralph Irrizarry is a badass. In my defense, I DID mention David Sanchez in my original post. It would be great to see Cachao before he's gone... that's why I mentioned Sonny Rollins too. If I can only get a chance to see him before he's gone... he's my hero.

Hi John,

Thought I'd respond to your rant, since I'm leaving town in August and don't know if I'll see you before I go. Maybe at a festival event?

Personally it's not the lack of formal "be-bop" at jazzfest that sometimes drags me, it's the relentless European focus. I'm not some narrowminded guy who sits around listening to "Workin' With The Miles Davis Quintet" over and over again. I like all kinds of stuff. Funk, Blues, Acadian fiddle music, old Hank Williams stuff, Johnny Cash, Mexican conjunto stuff like Flaco Jimenez,Gospel, Soul Music...

But I think there's music that speaks to your heart, and music that doesn't. I was turned on to a lot of interesting stuff at UBC.Schoenberg, Messien, Babbitt, Terry Riley and those guys, as you were, and probably by some of the same people. I even still listen to these people occasionally, so it's not like I don't give the stuff a chance. But it simply doesn't move me the way North American music does.

I don't think I should have to defend myself against charges of close-mindedness because I don't love absolutely EVERYTHING , or am not up front applauding at every single Eyvand Kang concert.

In terms of what I play, well...that's what I play,man. You play who you are, everybody does. At least to the extent that you know who you are. I've tried a lot of different stuff on for size over the last 30 years or so, and I feel like I'm just now starting to find my own voice. The fact that this voice does not speak like a European high art, conservatory trained avante guarde proponent of "Musique Actuelle" doesn't surprise me all that much, since I grew up in Seattle listening to the blues.


Here's my wish list:


Astral Project- The Greatful Dead of jazz. Been playing together for over twenty years.

Alvin Batiste-Monster clarinet player.Great composer,educator,South Louisiana jazz guru.


Edward "Kidd" Jordan- If this festival is so "Outski", how come Kidd never gets to play it? He's so out he makes John Surman sound like Tex Beneke. And I've seen William Parker play with him in New Orleans more than I've seen him up here.

Gospel Music: How come there's hardly ever any Gospel music? If you can have the Cowboy Junkies at the Commodore you can have Andre Crouch at the Center fer chrissakes.

Kenny Werner- Yeah I know he was here last year. And the year before. But I love that MF.

Terence Blanchard-Ditto.

The Meters- Yes the original Meters (Art Neville, George Porter Jr., Leo Nonteccelli and Joseph 'Zigaboo' Modeliste) have re-united for select concerts. This was front page news in New Orleans a few years ago. The Beatles reforming would have only made the entertainment section.

Horace Silver-As Guy pointed out,he plays Jazz Alley, why not come that little extra jog and play here (probly a little thing called "insane border beauracracy).

I could go on, but what's the point. It's just wishfull thinking. Vancouver, in spite of the many great players who live here, just isn't a jazz town.

Hi John,

I probably came off a little crabbier than I meant to. I'm going through one of those periods where I get tired of defending myself against accusations that I'm an "old" guy into "old" stuff. You get a few too many people up in your face that way, it starts to piss you off.

I guess I meant European in an esthetic sense. A band like Talking Pictures for instance, seems to me to be taking it's cues from the European 'Music Actuelle" school. This is in no way a criticism. Our dear mutual friend Mr. William Clark would take my head off if it was.:-) But I think it's fair to say that Talking Pictures are not exactly chained to the African-American, blues based tradition in the music, which is, for better or for worse, where my own personal tastes and proclivities lie.

All these complaints would fade to nothing if Vancouver had an abundance of enthusiastic audiences filling a wide variety of venues, with a sympathetic civic administration willing to put it's money where it's mouth is regarding live music, and a federal government that wasn't trying to stop the whole works at the border. That's my real "Jazzfest Wish."

John, i guess to answer your question honestly... well, some of the bands i've seen have not been very good. I definitly totally agree with your statements regarding honesty, language and so forth. Hearing Dylan talk about improvising in Banff this year was a real eye opener for me... to think he can play so many different styles so well, and bring what is needed to each musical situation... THAT is really the key. If it's going to be funk, it should be funky. if it's going to swing, it should SWING... unapologetically. If that's the asthetic that you're choosing... it should be done with as much reference to what that really means as possible. There are ways to sound like yourself and still reference something... so that there's a thread... some sort of connective tissue that binds the music together and makes lights go off in the heads of the people that you're playing WITH and the people that you're playing FOR. So, yeah. Some of the "funk" or 'groove' bands I've heard this festival have been not that funky, not that groovy, and not even that original. (Excepted from this is Sekoya, which grooves like a mutha... and I'm sure Crowd Control Collective will be off the hook, because anything my boy Tim touches turns to gold). So I think Vancouver has such a great amount of guys who play with a lot of heart... bottom line. From Ron Samworth to Ross Taggart and everyone in between... they play with heart. I personally would like to see more representation of people that play from the jazz tradition. Why can't Wynton share a bill with the Hard Rubber Orchestra? It wouldn't be out of place in my mind at all, actually...

Hi Morgan
Some good points. My comment was that great musicians are great musicians regardless of which tradition they come from. All music has tradition. Wayne Shorter and Chris Gestrin are both amazing musicians and regardless of what language they would draw on I think they would create excellent music. No doubt when you listen to Wayne Shorter you are listening to jazz on its highest plateau. I didn't hear him last night but I heard the same band last October. I was amazed at the communication...how they went from one idea to the other so effortlessly, how Wayne would lay out for 16 bars or so during a solo then make a comment. There were lots of amazing subtlties and layers. Very satisfying.

A couple of things: You mention though you are not into labels - then mention that some bands are not appropriate for a "jazz" festival. Would this be a problem if the festival was called something else? Would these bands sound better if somebody else presented them? Or maybe these bands were simply not very good. Would Wayne's music sound any better or worse if it wasn't called jazz? Just some random abstract ideas. I LOVE discussions like these.

Hey John
Howyadoin'?

John D. said:
"...it's the relentless European focus."

I guess that's one of the commom criticisms that I scratch my head about. I'm going to take a quick look thru the fest guide...

Out of the 10 days at the "Centre" - no european bands.
10 days at the Commodore - none.
The Cultch - well it depends maybe on semantics - there are 2 european bands even though one is a groove band and the other a straight ahead vocal trio- but do you consider Dylan's project or the NOW Orch European in content? George Lewis? Rene Lussier? They are not european but it is composition or improv-oriented which I think is what the criticism originates from.
Western Front - most definitely. This 100-seater has always been a improv/new music-type venue.
Studio 16 - about 7. This is usually my only compaint about the fest. Usually at the end of a long day of concerts I want something a little more festive or swinging. I want to party! But Ken always puts in music that takes a bit more concentration. I guess he likes the intimate venue. I like the bar and the hang. Most of the touring musicians end up there too.
Perf. Works evening- none (Eric Truffaz plays 70s-Miles-esque stuff)
Perf. Works aft. - 5 improv-oriented bands
CBC - none
2 days at the Roundhouse. The 2 largest stages (David Lam & Festival Hall) - none. The Perf Centre - mostly improv.
Orpheum - none
All the free stages - none

So by seating capacity ( The Front, Studio 16, Roundhouse Perf. Centre vs. Orpheum, Commodore, Ford Centre, David Lam Park, etc) throughout the festival I would say this "relentless european focus" adds up to less than 15% of music heard. I'm not here to defend the festival but I think the criticism is unfair. And, believe it or not, alot of this music probably does "speak to (the) heart" of alot of music listeners. That being said here IS a fair bit fusion, South American and African music. But that stuff's cool too.

But i know what you're saying. You want to hear more concerts like the Joshua Redman, Wayne Shorter shows (which are usually sold out anyways) and people like that. Me too. But you are also right in saying Vancouver is not a jazz town. Even farther, Vancouver is not a concert-oriented town. People just don't leave their homes to listen to live music...and I've been self-producing concerts for 12 years now and it's very, very challenging and time consuming. But what else are you going to do? All you can do is what you believe in.

OK - here's a few. Like you guys, I have a bunch of straight ahead shit I'd like to see too, but I'll keep to the Latin-Jazz end of the spectrum here ('cause no one else will... ;-)

Israel Lopez "Cachao" (Bass). Please!! He's 85 and still going strong!! The inventor of the mambo, the king of the Descarga (=latin jam session. Literally: Spanish for "discharge").

Ralph Irrizarry and Timbalaye. Killin' timbal/kit player and his killin' electric band.

Ray Barretto (congas). He played with BIRD, for fuck sake! His new album "Homage to Art" (Blakey) is destined to be a classic -
with the youthful Miguel Zenon on Alto and Luis Perdomo on Piano.

John Benitez Trio (bass) with Perdomo on piano and the amazing Dafnis Prieto on drums

David Murray Latin Big Band (WITH the Cubans, please)

Julio Padron (trumpet) Quintet

Tony Martinez (Alto) and Maferefun. It would be nice if he brought Gonzalo on piano, Padron on trumpet, and Julio Barretto on drums

And for the Commodore:

Giraldo Piloto and Klimax (Cuba). This drummer composes and arranges the most harmonically complex shit in Timba (contemporary Cuban Salsa). Most jazz players I know who've heard his tunes would love to try soloing on them...

Issac Delgado & Orch. (Cuba)

Bobby Valentin (Puerto Rico)

Pedro Pablo y su Rebambaramba (Cuba) So I could hang with my buddy Pedro Pablo Gutierrez (bass).

Al

Jazz Fest Wishes
 

I'm choked... Jason Moran and Wayne Shorter are on the same night! Is there anyone on here that could tell me any POSSIBLE way I can see both? Presumably if they're both headlining, there's NFW.

Also, just for the record... here's a list of people I would love to see play Vancouver one day (either festival, or non). Branford Marsalis Quartet, Chris Potter's current band with Kevin Hays and Scott Colley and Bill Stewart, Kelly Jefferson/Kelsly Grant Quintet, Roswell Rudd, Wynton Marsalis (either with the LCJO or Septet), Ingrid Jensen (with or without project O), David Sanchez, Kenny Barron, Chick Corea's New Trio, Greg Osby, Steve Coleman, Kevin Eubanks, Marcus Roberts, Elvin Jones, Joe Lovano, Eric Lewis, Joey Calderazzo (with Branford's band, would be fine), Jeff "Tain" Watts, Larry Goldings, Peter Bernstein, Christian McBride, Geoff Keezer, McCoy Tyner (preferably a solo concert-- if it could be arranged), Roy Haynes, uh.... uh.... Sonny Rollins! OK, I'm done...

Alright, I just read my retarded list. There's a lot of random names thrown around... all guys I love and respect. I guess for me, the three top bands I would like to see play Vancouver would be Branford's quartet, Wynton with the LCJO or Septet, and Maybe Greg Osby or someone like that. Maybe we could start a thing where everyone lists their top three bands that they'd like to see play Vancouver.

PS: This is in no way meant as a bitch on our current, wonderful festival lineup. Just kind of bored and dreaming.

Morgan, did you realize Ingrid Jensen actually is playing at this year's festival, with her sister Christine on July 1?

To the above list, I'd like to add a couple of performers who've appeared at the festival before but whom I missed for whatever reason: saxophonist James Carter, Mark Turner and Kurt Rosenwinkel, and did Pat Martino also play a few years ago?

Also on my wish list would be Michael Brecker, Gary Bartz and Roy Hargrove. (I know the last two have appeared at the festival in recent years, but I'd love to hear them again).

And, strange as this may sound to Greater Vancouverites, as someone attending this year's festival from out of town, I'm really looking forward to hearing some of the many great Vancouver jazz musicians that I don't regularly get to hear -- people like Brad Turner, Mike Allen, Oliver Gannon, Dave Robbins, Dylan Cramer and Sharon Minemoto. There's a bunch of other Vancouver performers I enjoy that I won't be able to stay to see. I hope jazz fans in the Vancouver area realize how lucky they are to have such a wealth of local talent.

Only time I've ever seen McCoy was at Rossinis about three years ago. It was pretty beautiful to hear him turn to Linton and say "sir, it is an honour to play your piano tonight." He played some gorgeous solo stuff that night, which I liked better than the trio... so that's why I said I'd like to see him do a solo concert.

How about Horace Silver?! I saw him twice down at Jazz Alley in Seattle and he was great. How come we seldom get those acts up here, when it's so close?

The festival starts today. I was wondering what to check out but notice there's nothing on this site, supposedly the place to go for jazz in Vancouver. (Yeah, yeah, there's precious little jazz at the Jazz Festival, but still!) What gives?

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