_ARTS&LIFE

Vancouver's
summerjazzfestival
ratesas one of the best anywhere
From Cl

Set aside the hype, though,
and 2004 once again proved
that the music continues to
quietly evolve from within
the tradition. Pianist Keith
Jarrett's trio continues on a
peerless 20-year run through
the American popular song.
While bassist Dave Holland's
groups have probably done
more to subtly reshape our
notions ofline and voice than
any other bands today.
Here in Vancouver, the
Coastal Jazz and Blues Society always has its ears to the
ground, producing a summer
festival that throws a net over
tbe entire spectrum of the
music. Opening night this
year asked you to choose·
from a legend (Oscar Peterson), a modem master (saxophonist Joe Lovano), a funk
outfit (Bullfrog).and a genius
of cross-pollination (trumpeter Dave Douglas). Any
critic who's been here leaves
saying it's one of the finest
festivals in the world.
Indeed, Coastal's year-long
ptogramniing and its ongoing
relationship with different
international
musicians
makes a great many Canadians envious.
Douglas, for example, gave
his large-scale composition,
Mountain Passages, its North
American debut here, team.ing up with local cellist Peggy Lee and drummer Dylan
van der Schyff.
Lee and van der Schyff's
work with Douglas might just
be emblematic of the increasinglyhigh internationalprofile

in August, Vancouver musicians were given a primary
role, perhaps the first time
this has ever happened at a
major event outside Canada.
Nearly every night featured a
local group, fro
Coat
C~s~O~r,..c~=;,
8armet1st Frarn;:01s OU e's
electro-acoustic quartet.
Back home in February the
depth of the city's scene was
recognized at the third annual National.Jazz Awards.
Despite a dodgy premise
(winners were chosen in an
unregulated e-mail vote) and
a distinctly Toronto point of
view, Vancouver's jazz community received 27 nominations. Multi-instrumentalist
Brad Turner received five,
including one for musician of
the year.
Gradually the scene's growing infrastructure is beginning to challenge established
institutions in Toronto and
Montreal.
There are thriving independent labels here (Maximum Jazz, Songlines, Spool);
a solid, mainstream venue
(The Cellar), a musicians' coop (1067) and a fastidious
website (www.vancouverjazz.com) keeping track of
current affairs.
Just think, 15years ago Juno
Award-winning saxophonist
and pianist Phil Dwyer left
WALTER BIERI/AP FILES
Vancouver for Toronto. This
summer he returned to his
Diana Krall's soft-centre migration continued in 2004.
childhood home in Qualicum
Beach.
of Vancouver's creative music recorded on a Chicago label
In 2005, who knows who
community. Bow River Falls, and reviewed favourablyin the might be close behind.
their disc with him and French New York Tifnes.
Greg Buium is a
clarinetist Louis Sclavis, was
At the Lisbon jazz festival
Vancouver music writer.