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TheC1111d1w1
IsIn

during the previous four nights at
, ..AS I write this, I'm being
the Western Front - that unpre,lr..iwnforward with thoughts of
dictable, sometimes (at its best)
~ceing one of the most interesting,
crazy stuff called improv. I don't
musically challenging groups this
know if it's the time of year, or the
city has to offer. I've not heard
time of life or this crazy-assed,
TalkingPictures since last June's
wanting-to-funk-it-up time I'm in,
du MaurierInternationalJazz
but I cannot get enough of the
Festival,nearly five months. Of
stuff. I think it's the part about
course that only leads to thoughts
never knowing what's coming and
of next year's fest, only seven
the awareness of a sound or
months away. Only. It seemed so
movement existing only in that
long. that 111/2 months I had to
moment or even second, then
wait as the fest ended this year.
feeling it stretched into 30 minutes
Now it's seven months from this
or even three hours of many of
week until 10 days of heaven, June
those moments ... it's as alive as
:?'i-Tuly4. Wow, Canada Day will
I've ever felt and goddamn it if
:h'r11allybe something to celebrate
that doesn't go hand in hand with
next year.
the essence of improv. So, it was a
... MEANTIME,lots going on
looser, more relaxed feel in Lubie
that I can't wait to
that night, compared
get' my ears to. Last
with the more serious
week's full-on
'playing with the big
blustery attempt to
boys' feeling of the series,
\l'rnp the Time Flies
especially when the
series in 1000 words
evening ended with a
or less didn't allow
rocker I can only imagine
room for the
was called In Frisco,
unofficial final night
about 'digging the scene
ac Lubie Sunday.
in Frisco' or some such,
iosephine
ochei
Visitors Gianni
with a previously unseen
Gebbia (alto sax,
loopy, almost teenage-boy side to
Italy); EyvindKang (violin, US)
the intense, dramatic violinist
and Joe Williamson (bass,
Kang on vocals. Strangely ironic
Germany) sat in with regular·
note to end an improv weekend
Sunday nighter Dylan van der
on. For anyone who thinks jazz is
Schyff (drums) and Ron
boring, you might want to start
Samworth(guitar, usually heard
with these guys.
playing down the street at the
... HAD an absolutely lovely
Latin Quarteron Sundays).
time at Mojo Room where I
Announced at the official Time
turned up to hear Brad Turner
Flies concerts, the informal
and whoever he was playing with
Sunday gig was billed as a "Tribfor his weekly Wednesday gig (trio
111c to Sly & the Family Stone". Uh
or quartet alternates each week).
huh ... They played a couple of
This week had the trio (Darren
tunes which sounded vaguely
Radtke, bass; Bernie Arai, drums)
familiar, but soon 'degenerated'
with guest Ross Taggartblowing
(ya·,right) into more of what they
•some seriously gorgeous, classic
(and some of the rest of us)
romantic-toned tenor sax for the
probably couldn't get enough of
most pleasant surprise this tired

--f-

JAZZIEbv

soul (and companion) could've
asked for on that weary night. Sent
us off sleepily home at night's end
(originally planned to stay til
11:30, but Taggart refused to let us
leave, with that sax of his).
... ONLY two dates left in the
dance/improv workshops hosted
by the New OrchestraWorkshop
(NOW) and EDAM at the
Western Front,Mon Nov 23, 46pm & 30, 8pm (it's FREE!).
Musicians, dancers and observers
alike are invited to participate/
watch how a dance/improv
performance is put together/
rehearsed on the 23rd. The 30th
willsee the performance resulting
from the previous workshop. I
attended the first of the four in
this portion of the series and was
impressed, even awed by some of
the segments 'performed' by these
students of improv, eager to
participate and lap it up. Double
bonus: getting to see some new
performers in action and checking
out the machinations behind
putting it all together. Cool
experience .
. .. THIS weekend ... it's the
TakingWing jazz series at Sugar
Refinery.Look forward to a newer
group named Amour Fou, which
has the interesting situation of
having both the ex- and current
alto sax player from the punky jazz
group SMAK:ChrisKelly and
John Anzai. Saw them at Shug a
few weeks back. Dug the boisterous energy and double-sax
harmonies. Ya, harmonies'll get
me every time. Looking forward to
the full set - Friday, 9pm. Followed by Mark Nodwell Quintet
(see encapsulated city for full line- ,
ups), and by the way, Nodwell was
at the two NOW /EDAM workshops I attended, and I'd like to
hear some more improv outta him.
Looseness good. Maybe get more
of a taste this weekend? Anything
could happen. And, as per usual
these days, I hope it does.
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