C14 I E-LIST I THE PROVINCE

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2007

11\1 CONCERT
From pa9e

ca

Kaufmann, Gratkowski, de
Joode
Trio of international improvisers
includes Amsterdam-based
pianist Achim Kaufmann,
German multi-reeds player Frank
Gratkowski and Dutch bassist
Wilbert de Joode.• Western
Front, 303 E. 8th Ave.• Nov. 24, 8
p.m.• $15/$12, Highlife,
Ticketmaster or 604-872-5200

No Translation Required
A fun and slightly irreverent
look at opera, musical theatre
and a wee bit of jazz.· Kay
Meek Centre, 1700 Mathers St.
• Nov. 24, 7:30 p.m.• $20/$15,
604-913-3634
Pilint Sand - Pilint Stone II
Premiere of Canadian
composer Andre Cormier's
Piling Sand-Piling Stone Ill for
viola, cello and live electronics

performed by duo Suna no
onna.• Blim, 197 E. 17th Ave.•
Nov. 24, 8 p.m.• 604-734-4622

Sinfonia, Orchestra of the
North Shore
Features soprano Michelle
Keople and performers from
the Anna Wyman School of
Dance.· Centennial Theatre,
2300 Lonsdale Ave., North Van
• Nov. 24, 7:30 p.m. • $18-$33,
604-984-4484

The Sojourners CD Release
Hold On is the debut recording
for the Vancouver-based
gospel vocal trio The
Sojourners - Will Sanders,
Ron Small and Marcus Mosely
who are all integral members
of Vancouver's premiere
gospel choir, The Good Noise
Vancouver Gospel Choir.· St.
James Hall, 3214 W. 10th Ave.•
Nov. 24, 8 p.m.• $23/$20, 604736-3022

Tony Orlando
Singer best known for his time
with the group Dawn in the
early 1970s.• Red Robinson
Show Theatre, Coquitlam•
Nov. 24, doors 7 p.m., show 8
p.m.• $39.50 at Ticketmaster

The Town Pants - 10th
Anniversary Show
Roots-rocking night with celtic
rockers the Town Pants and
guests Swank and Run GMC.•

Commodore Ballroom• Nov.
24, doors 8 p.m., show 9 p.m.•
$12 at Ticketmaster, Zulu,
Highlife, Red Cat

YSO - Pictures and Poems:
The Music of Mussor,sky,
Strauss and Mahler
Elgar Howarth, conductor;
Anita Krause, soprano.•
Orpheum Theatre· Nov. 24
and 26, 8 p.m.• $25-$78 at 604876-3434 or Ticketmaster

Academic, but passionate

HEAR IT mow:
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Celebrate 20 years of extraordinary music

In concert

NOW Orchestra with
Amina Claudine
Myers

Where: Vancouver East
Cultural Centre, 1895
Venables St.
When: Tomorrow at 8 p.m.
Tickets: $20 (seniors, $15;
students, $5) at Ticket­
master

sun up

BY STUART DERDEYN
ARTS REPORTER

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• No other coupons/promotions are valid for this event.
Valid only on 7 7 /7 6/07.

SCIENCE WORLD at

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TELUS WORLD•��•
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'Iwo decades ago, Vancouver's
New Orchestra Workshop began
its Hear It Now concert series of
new and improvised music. The
freewheeling big band had a
decade of performing under its
belt and felt it was time to pro­
duce a regular annual showcase
for West Coast Canadian cre­
ative music.
Often written in workshops
with collaborators ranging from
pianist Marilyn Crispell and
trombone ace George Lewis to
Grateful Dead affiliate John
Oswald, Hear It Now is a key
event in the city's annual
jazz/new music scene.
This year's edition features
special guest organist, com­
poser, arranger and singer Ami­
na Claudine Myers. A longtime
member of the legendary Asso­
ciation for the Advancement of
Creative Musicians in Chicago
and of bassist Charlie Harlen's
Liberation Music Orchestra,
Myers is bringing NOW a
gospel-style work that requires
a full vocal choir.
Singers Christine Duncan,
Phoebe McRae, DB Boyko,
Viviane Houle, Peter Hurst and
Matthew McTavish join the 15piece ensemble for this 20th
Anniversary show.
"It's interesting making
arrangements for this kind of
band that still keeps the basic
concept of a gospel-influenced

It's all music, says Amina Claudine Myers of the experimental and
often improvised pieces she creates.

vocal piece intact," says Myers.
"I've never written especially for
a band to accompany the choir
and I do find that some ele­
ments of the work favour the
use of certain instrumental voic­
es over others. But it's up to the
band to figure that out.
"You can't write in the feelings
or soul, but I've tried to always
bring it out in my writing."
Some critics have suggested
that Myers' career has been
"avant jazz stigmatized," keep­
ing her bluesy and flowing
recordings of the works of such
luminaries as Bessie Smith out
of wider recognitions. She
decries that view.
"I really don't like that at all.
Avant or not, to me it's all music.
I like to extend the music and
let it grow, which is why impro­
visation is so important.
" W hen I think avant, it's
throwing a piano off of a build­
ing. But blues and gospel,
rhythm and blues are all made
to be extended upon."
On recordings such as those
with the searing blues-rock crew
Third Rail (bassist Bill Laswell,
guitarist James Blood Ulmer,
drummer Joseph "Ziggy" Mod-

eliste and Parliament/Funkadel­
ic keyboardist Bernie Worrell),
Myers' solo flights on her organ
do indeed carry the sound of the
blues to an extended funky high.
Conversely, her 1983 album
The Circle of Time is a tight trio
gig that actually sticks to a lot
of conventional modal jazz. Her
more recent work also brings in
elements of modern classical
music and even the occasional
"high concept."
"A young man in London last
year said that in my recent play­
ing I was academic, but pas­
sionate. I guess that's OK, but
all music involves thinking and
feeling. Of course, I don't like
the term jazz much either, as it
ass ociates this music with
speakeasys and lowlifes and
something less intelligent. So I
guess that academic, but pas­
sionate, will do."
Stay tuned to have your brain
moved at Hear It Now, I guess.
sderdeyn@png.canwest.com

Catch Stu's New Music Tues­
days on Globals Morning News
at 8:45 a.m., Tuesdays, and Stu's
Weekend Fun File on Global's
Weekend Morning and Noon
News.