The Zawinul Syndicate Jubilee Auditorium ,\ ~ \\. Joe Zawinul - keyboards and synthesizers Scott Henderson - guitar Gerald Veasley - bass Cornell Rochester - drums Lynn Fiddmont - vocals Darryl Jackson - percussion _._ . ·""'~ tfCC~~: ._., CBC ~,-,, Edmonton Austrian-born keyboardist and composer Josef Zawinul is unquestionably one of the greatest names in contemporary jazz. Arriving in the U.S.A. after World War Two, Zawinul studied and worked his way through a number of bands (including Miles Davis's and Dinah Washington's) until he settled in to spend most of the 1960s with Cannonball Adderly. In 1969, he and Wayne Shorter founded the enormously popular Weather Report, an ensemble which made a profound contribution to the developing jazz-rock fusion idiom. After 14 years with Weather Report, Zawinul set off on a solo course, the latest tack of which is his great new band The Zawinul Syndicate. Featuring Zawinul's novel , one-of-a-kind, accordian-style synthesizer, the Pepe, the band ranges from Afro-Bolivian chant to full-throttle synthesizer improvisation . "The Syndicate breathes in diverse rhythms and structures from varied cultures and breathes out an enlightened and wholly engaging jazz tableau." Youssou N'Dour Marietou Kote Habib Faye Papa Omar Ngom Assane Thiam Babacar Faye Mamadou Dieng Moustrpha Th!am Abdoulrye Mane Established for years as Senegal's top music star, Youssou N'Dour and his 12-piece band Le Super Etoile de Dakar appear to be very near breaking through to mass popularity in Europe and North America. Youssou's appearance on Paul Simon's Graceland album and his recording and touring with Peter Gabriel are two of many indicators that the Anglo-American world will soon be feeling his magic. He and his band perform mbalax music, a captivating blend of traditional Senegalese with modern western styles that should make even Canadians want to dance, or at least sway in their seats. Peter Gabriel remarked: "I think it's a pretty hard nut that watches Youssou and doesn't get moved." 6 30 Friday, 10:30 p.m. The Randy Brecker/ Eliane Elias Quarter Friday, 8 p.m. Charlie Haden/Quartet West Charlie Haden - bass Ernie Watts - saxophones Larance Marable - drums Alan Broadbent - piano A New York writer has recently remarked that "Haden's shadow on the jazz landscape looms larger than ever." What better way to describe a man whose thrity-year career includes seminal work with Ornette Coleman, Carla Bley, and Pat Metheny, among others, and who continues to be involved with the finest working musicians on the scene? Quartet West, Haden's latest project, is his effort to draw together into one band some of the diverse musical styles of modern-day Los Angeles, his home since 1979. The result, more in the mainstream than most of Haden's work, has proved to be remarkably popular both in concert and on record. The music of this powerful and varied ensemble has been described as "rich and swinging, pretty and brooding, outside and inside all at once." Randy Brecker - trumpet and flugelhorn Eliane Elias - piano Jay Anderson - bass Jeff Herschfield - drums & percussion Randy Brecker has managed through the course of his career to establish himself as a legitimate and highly-respected player in both the pop and jazz scenes, no mean feat in today's pigeon-holed music world. He has worked with Chaka Khan and Paul Simon, as well as with Horace Silver and Art Blakey. Brecker continues to defy categorization. Following the years of successful work in the 1970s with his brother Michael in the Brecker Brothers, Randy and his wife, Brazilian-born pianist Eliane Elias, formed a band that explored an amalgam of Brazilian pop and American jazz. Then last year he released a straightahead jazz album with tenorman Joe Henderson. Now, working once again with his wife, he brings the hot, new Randy Brecker/Elaine Elias Quartet to Jazz City. Whatever the style, whatever the setting, Brecker's superb and diverse musical skills guarantee an unforgettable show. 7 Chateau L acornbe Ballroom The Bob Berg/Mike Stern Band Bob Berg - saxophones Mike Stern - guitar Jeff Andrews - bass Dennis Chambers - drums A Tribute to Woody Herman Featuring the Woody Herman Alumni Nat Pierce - piano ('50 - '60) Jake Hanna - drums ('63 - '65) Bob Stroup - trombone ('64 - '65) Bobby Shew - trumpet ('64 - '66) Raoul Romero - tenor saxophone ('64 - '66) Chuck Andrus - bass ('63 - '67) Jon Ballantyne - piano (1987) Plus Special Guest: Big Miller and the BIG BAND directed by BOB STROUP JAZZ CITY '88 presents an evening of music dedicated to the great Woody Herman and his band. With the assistance of the Saskatchewan Jazz Festival we have assembled a great band of Woody Herman Alumni for this celebration. Edmonton's Bob Stroup has put together a fine big band for the occasion. Highlights of the program will include many of the great tunes that Woody made famous and so much a part of jazz. Tunes like Blue Flame, Woodychoppers Ball, Early Autumn, Four Brothers, Bijou, Goosey Gander, My Favorite Things and The Raven Speaks. Woody's connection with Alberta will be presented by Angus McDonald, Woody's cousin by marriage. (Woody's wife was from Alberta and was Angus's first cousin!) . JAZZ CITY '88 would like to thank everyone involved for making this evening a great success! Like most 'new' musicians on the scene, these young men have been around for a fair number of years, developing and refining their sounds. Berg worked with Horace Silver in the early 70s, then went on to spend five years with Cedar Walton before joining Miles Davis in 1984. Stern studied at Berklee under Mick Goodrick and Pat Metheny; after that, stints with Blood, Sweat and Tears and Billy Cobham led him to Miles's band as well, (prior to Berg), where he stayed for four years and three albums. Now, having played together in recent years on a number of albums, these two kindred musical voices have joined together in a band of their own. With Stern playing "fat, fusiony guitar over muscular syncopations," and Berg blowing with "zeal and urgency", this is a potent union. Here are two of the strongest and most unique new voices in jazz. JULY Saturday, 8:30 p.m . 2 8 Chateau L acombe 8 al/room Ornette Coleman and Prime Time Ornette Coleman - saxophone Denard Coleman - drums Calvin Westin - drums Vern Nix - guitar Charlie Ellerbie - guitar Al McDowell - bass Chris Walker - bass Sunday, 8:30 p.m. ECM Recording Artists Bill Bruford's Earthworks Bill Bruford - acoustic and electronic drums, DX? and percussion Django Bates - DX?, Prophet, piano and horn Ian Ballamy - saxophones Mick Hutton - acoustic bass Long known to aficionados of the British 'art rock' scene as the drummer with Yes and King Crimson , Bill Bruford is exploring new ground with his exciting new fusion band Earthworks. The three other players are all little-known but highly accomplished British jazz musicians, about whom Billboard wrote: " These young cats are uncommonly talented. Yes, they can swing, Yes, they can improvise. " Bruford has stated that his goal with this band is to blend the technology and clear rhythms of rock with the improvisations of jazz, and according to the critics he has achieved it with eclat. Ornette Coleman has done what few artists in any field have done - attracted two generations of followers. First, he shook up the New York establishment in 1959 playing an unheard-of style with his piano-less quartet that freely stepped in and out of the prevailing conventions of musical harmony. Although never very popular, Coleman persisted in his vision, influencing a whole generation of players and contributing to the foundations of the future 'free-jazz' movement. Then in the 1970s, when Coleman began working with his band Prime Time, he was again shattering ice on the musical pond, this time by incorporating funk and rock into his unique free style. Here was born his 'harmolodic' music that has its cabals of devotees to this day. In short, "Coleman 's innovations so permeate contemporary jazz that is is impossible to imagine how the music might have evolved without him. " Philadelphia Inquirer. But all this shouldn't distract one from the fact that Ornette is a pleasure to hear, and that Prime Time is one of the strongest contemporary jazz bands working today. "Intelligent fusion need not be a contradiction in terms. Earthworks is the latest reminder." The Boston Globe "Earthworks has a freshness and conviction I haven 't heard since last year's "Song X" by the Metheny/ Ornette band. It's that daring, that exciting .. . this album takes jazz into the 21st century. " Downbeat Monday, 8:30 p.m. 9 Archie Shepp/ Horace Parlan Archie Shepp - saxophones Horace Parlan - piano "One of the most heavenly jazz matches of the decade." The Boston Phoenix Tuesday, 8:30 p.m. The Gary Burton Quintet Gary Burton - vibes Makoto Ozone - piano Donny McClaslin - saxophones Gildas Boele - bass Martin Richards - drums Gart Burton's stellar career has already lasted over 20 years. He has been voted "Best Vibist" by Downbeat every year since 1968, and his personal discography now runs to an astonishing 27 titles. Yet somehow it does not seem fitting to describe Burton as a veteran; his approach is still so contemporary and his sound so unique. Burton's four-mallet technique is highly celebrated, with reason, but it is the quality of the notes those mallets play that is the essence of his music "his gentle ringing sound and refined lyrics" Rolling Stone. As always, Burton is working with a strong band of new, young players, including the notable pianist Makoto Ozone. The duo work of these two eminent musicians dates back only as far as the late 70s, when they worked together on two simple, elegant albums of old blues and spiritual pieces considered now to be "among the finest jazz documents of the last ten years." It was an unlikely match in some ways: both were veteran American jazzmen working in Europe (Parlan has lived in Copenhagen since 1972), but Shepp through the 60s and 70s had been exploring the avant-garde while Parlan largely had remained true to the hard-bop style he had developed in his years with Mingus and the Blue Note rhythm section. But it worked, as anyone who hears the records agrees. Not until 1987 did they perform this music in North America, drawing rave reviews at a series of east coast dates. They are back touring North America again, playing the roots of their music in an unadorned style with a knowing and loving touch. Wednesday, 8:30 p.m . "The Quintet opened with the pianist Makoto Ozone's "Yellow Fever", and the assets of the band became apparent immediately - a sense of ensemble, a storyteller's sense of climax, and lyricism that rises from deep inside. " The News and Observer (Raleigh, N.C.) 10 Friday, 9:00 p.m. Thursday, 8:30 p.m. Manteca The Matt Zimbel - Congas and Percussion Henry Heillig - bass Aaron Davis - keyboards Rick Tait - keyboards, trumpet, flugelhorn Steve McDade - trumpet and flugelhorn John Johnson - saxophones Gary Boigon - saxophones and flutes Art Avalos - timbales, bongos, percussion Charlie Cooley - drums and percussion Four Brothers (Zimbabwe) Canada's award-winning pan-fusion band leaves the media both abroad and at home searching for an apt description: ''Toronto's musical internationalists", "soca-lypso popsters", "a jazz/funk/salsa orchestra". The reason is simple. Manteca's music is a fusion of so many diverse styles, all of them funky and energetic to the extreme. Highly respected by the Canadian music community both as a group and as individuals, Manteca has been nominated for a Toronto CASSY Award and won two awards (top group, best album) from the Black Music Association. They are truly "one of Canada's greatest musical assets." "a dizzying whirl of percussive mastery that leaves listeners breathless. Manteca is fiery excitement and high energy; the crowd was behind them all the way." The Winnipeg Sun @) AIR CANADA This group is one of THE major dance ensembles in Zimbabwe. Their music is very similar to that of the "BHUNDI BOYS" but has more subtlety, variety and texture. Their music appears on many anthologies of African music including the very fine VIVA ZIMBABWE on Carthage Records and they have their own new album on Gamma Records called NDAKATAMBURA NEWE. DANCE! DANCE! DANCE!! To the Music from Zimbabwe Chateau Lacombe Ballroom ASOUND FOR THE SUMMER SEASON This summer, take along CKUA AM•FM. Jazz, Folk, Blues, Classics and the latest arts and entertainment "happenings" throughout Alberta are featured all summer long. CKUA AM·FM Al habasca-98.3 FM Banlf- 104.3 FM Calgary-93 .7 FM Drumheller/Hanna-91 .3 FM Edmonton-94 .9 FM Prov1nce-w1de-580 AM Edson-103 .7 FM Fon McMurray-96. 7 FM Grande Prairie-100.9 FM Hinton- 102 .5 FM Lelhbridge-99 .3 FM Medicine Hat-97 .3 FM Peace River-96 .9 FM Red Oeer-101 .3 FM Spirit Aiver-99.5 FM Wh1tecour1 -107. 1 FM 12 "CABARET SERIES" SERIES #1 SUNDAY JULY3 MONDAY JULY4 Bob Berg/ Mike Stern Quartet Bill Bruford & Earthworks Ornette Coleman & Prime T ime 8:30 pm 8:30 pm 8:30 pm 8:30 pm Michele Rosewoman's Quintessence (New York City) Six Winds Thin Men Pierre Bensusan (Netherlands) (Toronto) (France) 6:00 pm 6:00 pm 6:00 pm 6:00 pm Microscopic Septet (New York City) Microscopic Septet (New York City) Six Winds (Netherlands) Waterland Ensemble (Holland) 9:00 pm 9:00 pm 9:00 pm 9:00 pm Reflexionen Masqualero Masqualero Masqualero Out of the Blue (Switzerland) (Norway) (Norway) (Norway) (New York City) 10:00 pm 10:00 pm 10:00 pm 10:00pm 10:00 pm THURSDAY JUNE 30 FRIDAY JULY 1 Charlie Haden Quartet West 8:00 pm A Woody Herman Tribute Randy Brecker Eliane Elias Quartet 8:30 pm Closed "6O'CLOCK JAZZ SERIES" SERIES #2 Closed "JAZZ AT CHINOOK" SERIES #3 "YARDBIRD SUITE" SERIES #4 SATURDAY JULY2 I "JAZZ STREET" 11:45AM to 1:15 PM 2:00 PM to The Edmonton Jazz Ensemble (EdJE) Ken Myers Quintet Lyons Gospel Show Dale Barlow Band Tom Foster Quartet Reality Masqualero (Norway) Gospel Show Jeff Johnston Quartet Tom Foster Quartet Reality Ken Myers Quintet Ken Myers Quintet Jeff Johnston Quartet Ken Myers Quintet Tom Foster Quartet John Stowell Trio (Oregon) Jeff Johnston Quartet (Nova Scotia) Bob Stroup Quintet 3:30 PM ' 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM j 13 I~ r;~ SCHEDULE - TUESDAY JULY 5 WEDNESDAY JULYS FRIDAY JULYS SATURDAY JULY9 Gary Burton Quintet Archie Shepp Horace Parlan Manteca Four Brothers Johnny Copeland Blues Band with special guest: Rusty Reed 8:30 pm 8:30 pm 8:30 pm 9:00 pm 9:00 pm Wizards of OZ Contrevent (Quebec) Bert Wilson Quintet (Seattle) Lunar Adventures (Australia) Hal Russell NRG Ensemble (Chicago) 6:00 pm 6:00 pm 6:00 pm 6:00 pm 6:00 pm Waterland Ensemble (Holland) Moire Music Moire Music (England) (England) Rich Halley Quintet (Oregon) Rich Halley Quintet (Oregon) 9:00 pm 9:00 pm 9:00 pm 9:00 pm 9:00 pm Out of the Blue Out of the Blue Yardbird Suite Allstars Yardbird Suite Allstars Yardbird Suite Allstars (New York City) (New York City) 10:00 pm 10:00 pm 10:00 pm 10:00 pm 10:00 pm THURSDAY JULY7 SUNDAY JULY 10 (Vancouver) I EE ... FREE ... FREE ... ,teve Hunt 3and Blue Sky (Seattle) Dave Turner Quintet David Friesen Trio (Oregon) Big Miller Band Blue Sky (Seattle) ohn Stowell "rio f regon) GMCC Stage Band Conducted by Ray Baril GMCC Stage Band Conducted by Ray Baril GMCC Stage Band Conducted by Ray Baril David Friesen Trio Dave Turner Quintet (2:00 pm 3:00 pm) lob 1 troup ~uintet Dave Turner Quintet Blue Sky (Seattle) Dave Turner Quintet Blue Sky (Seattle) David Friesen Trio (3:30 pm 5:00 pm) eff ohnston )uartet Bob Stroup Quintet Blue Sky (Seattle) Ken Myers Quintet David Friesen Trio Jazz Street closes at 5:00 pm 14 Centennial Library Theatre 6 PM each evening in the Centennial Library Theatre. This series is a continuation of the events that have taken place here during every JAZZ CITY Festival since our inception in 1980. For many this series celebrates the essence of JAZZ CITY: eclectic, challenging, uncompromising music from around the world, on the leading edge of the art form. We are pleased to have the Edmonton Public Library System, which is celebrating their 75th anniversary, as a sponsor of these concerts. Congratulations and thank you! The Michele Rosewoman Quintessence (NYC} Michele Rosewoman - piano Greg Osby - alto saxophone Gary Thomas - tenor saxophone Lonnie Plaxico - bass Cecil Brooks Ill - drums Over the last few years, pianist and composer Michele Rosewoman has quietly established herself as one of the finest new voices on the New York scene. A serious student of not only the full spectrum of American jazz, but of Cuban and African percussion as well, Rosewoman is forging a unique, many-faceted style that is as pleasing as it is challenging ("Fats Waller meets Anthony Braxton"). Her recent release Quintessence is gathering an impressive list of rave reviews {Enja). "... one of the most encouraging recent signs that a new generation of musicians, equally influenced by free jazz, the be-bop revival, funk and Afro-Latin music is creating a timely synthesis all its own." Robert Palmer, The New York Times saturdaY The Six Winds Bill Smith - sopranino saxophone Dies Le Due - soprano saxophone Paul Termos - alto saxophone John Tchicai - tenor saxophone Ad Peijnenburg - baritone saxophone Klass Hekman - bass saxophone This remarkable, international saxophone sextet, from Holland, performs original pieces composed by individual members of the group. They were described in Coda magazine as being among the few world-class. all-saxophone ensembles, with music that "bypasses the idiomatic power of the World Saxophone Quartet and the conceptual complexity of Rova and reaches, with varied compositional input, a cohesive consensus." 15 The Thin Men (Toronto) Tom Walsh - trombone Kevin Turcotte - trumpet Victor Bateman - electric bass Nilan Perera - guitar A.J. Pettie - drums JU\.'l 3 sundaY This quintet of young Toronto musicians, drawing their inspiration from the 'harmolodic' music of Blood Ulmer and others, works with what they call the "dissonance-inspired sounds of the eighties". They assemble an intriguing blend of rhythms and melody lines into a solid, impressive sound described by Toronto critic Mark Miller as "a collective sort of improvised music in which the solos emerge and disappear from the general bray and jangle of the ensemble." The Thin Men are on the leading edge of the contemporary Canadian jazz scene. The Wizards of Oz Pierre Bensusan This gifted, young French guitarist has travelled more musical miles in ten years than most musicians do in a lifetime. From his superb work in the 1970s as a bluegrass mandolinist and folk guitarist, Bensusan has worked his way through traditional and modern Celtic music, Argentine tangoes, Arabic modes and melodies, and contemporary vocal and instrumental improvisation, , making four acclaimed records at stops along the way and developing into one of the best acoustic guitarists in the world. His current style is a mixture of musical flavours from around the globe (as the title of his recent release - Spices - suggests). Bensusan's technical skill is dazzling and his tunefulness is enchanting . Dale Barlow - saxophones Paul Grabowsky - piano Lloyd Swanton - bass Alan Turnbull - drums "The pacesetters of Australian modern jazz," the Wizards of Oz is a hot young quartet whose musical_ influences obviously come from the best in the world of jazz. Saxophonist Dale Barlow, the band's founder and leader, broke onto the scene as tenor saxophonist for a Cedar Walton Quartet recording in Holland in 1985. His Coltrane-inspired tenor sound caught and pleased the ear of several American critics. Barlow and the Wizards all play with "an authority and maturity that only comes from years of experience in the music." Presented in co-operation with Musica Viva Australia 16 Centennial Library Theatre Hal Russell NRG Ensemble Hal Russell - saxophone, miscellaneous instruments Steve Hunt - drums & vibes Chuck Burdelick - tenor & alto saxophone Brian Sandstrom - bass, guitar & trumpet Kent Kessler - bass & electronics "Undaunted, unhinged and uncanny" is how one critic described NRG's performance of "Fred", their 40 minute tribute to Fred Astaire for jazz ensemble and tap dancers. Here is a band with an original concept. Hal Russell is a veteran multiinstrumentalist whose forty years as a professional musician include tours, shows, and television dates with an unbelievable list of names (he drummed for Billie Holiday and played vibes for Miles Davis). Since the 60s, Russell has been playing 'free-jazz' in and around Chicago; but only in the 80s, through the work of the NRG Ensemble, has he come to international attention. They create "startling, rewarding music that restores the cutting edge to the avant-garde." Chicago Tribune S Bert Wilson & Rebirth Bert Wilson - tenor & alto saxophones Nancy Curtis - flute & alto flute Allen Youngblood - piano Chuck Metcalf - bass Bob Meyer - drums Contrevent Marc Vallee - guitar , Francois Beausoliel - vibraphone & percussion Russel Gagnon - cello Michel Blouin - drums JUL'I Gerard Paradis - electric bass As a look at Contrevent's instrumentation reveals, their music is hard to classify. With hints of Django and the Paul Winter Consort, they play lively, melodic 'acoustic fusion' pieces that feature sparkling guitar solos by the band's musical leader Marc Vallee. Their clean string sound and tight, choppy rhythms also recall the sound of the popular Windham Hill band, Montreux. Little known outside Quebec, where they enjoy a solid following, Contrevent makes its first Alberta performance at Jazz City. "Contrevent's record Jeu de Paume has the potential to be very successful. In any other country it would be already." Mark Miller, The Globe and Mail Friday Bert Wilson, a post-polio quadriplegic, is one of the most unique and accomplished saxophonists in jazz today. He is a pioneer in the use of extended saxophone techniques, with a range in excess of five octaves and an ability to play simultaneous contrapuntal lines. His band Rebirth, working out of Seattle, includes some of the finest jazz players in the Pacific Northwest. They play Wilson's straightahead, Latin-tinged, compositions with energy and distinction. 7 17 Lunar Adventures Coat Cooke - tenor saxophone Ron Samworth - electric guitar Clyde Reed - bass Gregg Simpson - drums Recently nominated as Jazz Performers of the Year for the West Coast Music Awards, this contemporary Vancouver quartet is developing its own unique sound from a blend of rock and jazz, along with touch of 'world music' and performance art. A Seattle critic recently described them as: "... a unique ensemble sound that gathers the innovations of the last 20 years of jazz history - 60s free jazz rave-ups, 70s Ornette Coleman harmolodics, 80s no-wave minimalism and scronk guitar - into a new package that's tied off with a bow of urban color." saturdaY N ow you can be in touch with your clients at all times. no matter where you are! Cell City is an exciting new Alberta company marketing Canters Cellular Phones. They're ·"' nvenient. portable. and an absolute ecessity for today·s businessma,.! SUPPLIER OF CELLULAR TO JAZZ CITY WOMEN'S FITNESS CENTRE SUMMER SPECIAL COMPLETE PICTURE FRAMING SERVICE CORNER OF 99 STREET & 102A AVENUE 1O years of service to Edmonton Mon. to Sat. : 9·5 p.m. MEMBERSHIP JULY 1-AUG. 31 INCLUDES 10 FITNESS CLASSES (403) 423-9922 FAST FRAMES $50 <'.1A11 rlfff ~7A'4 Frame your Jazz related posters, records, photo or whatever... and receive a REAL 10% Discount upon mention of this Ad. 18 The Microscopic Septet (NYC) "Jazz at Chinook" is a new series for JAZZ CITY this year, a series that we know will continue into the future of the Festival. It is international and eclectic in content and each of the ensembles playing the series (except the SIX WINDS) play this great venue for 2 nights which will allow more of us to hear the music. 9 PM each evening . "JAZZ AT CHINOOK" This series is presented in co-operation with Phillip Johnston - soprano saxophone Richard Dworkin - drums Don Davis - alto saxophone Paul Shapiro - tenor saxophone Dave Sewelson - baritone saxophone Joel Forrester - piano Dave Hofstra - bass, tuba From New York City comes this zany and zesty unorthodox Septet (four saxophones with a rhythm section), playing swing arrangements which they describe as "reductions of a big band for a small group" that are "totally serious and totally humourous at the same time." This band is fun, but they're good too. Howard Mandel wrote in Downbeat: "The Microscopic Septet has fun - but also has something to say and the ability to say it. " & sa.turda.)', f rid a.)' g:00 p.rn. Six Winds (Netherlands) (see: 6 O'CLOCK JAZZ SHOW Sat., July 2) 19 The Waterland Ensemble Loek Dikker - piano Leo Von Oostrom - alto saxophone Fred Leeflang - tenor saxophone Frans Jan Vander Hoven - bass Peter Berk - drums Dutch pianist/composer/arranger Loek Dikker returns to Edmonton for the first time since his 1982 Jazz City appearance, bringing with him his current quintet - The Waterland Ensemble. One of the finest western European jazzmen working in a straight-ahead style, Dikker's compositions are always inventive and conceptually very strong, his bands are always hot, and his concerts always deeply satisfying. The Rich Halley Quintet {and the Lizard Brothers) Richard Halley - tenor saxophone Gary Harris - alto saxophone Geoff Lee - piano Phil Sparks - bass Tom Hill - trombone William Thomas - drums C A little-known composer, arranger and tenor saxophonist from Portland, Oregon, Rich Halley's recent album Song of the Back/ands prompts critics first to rave about the music and then to wonder why he is not better known . Cadence described his music as "some of the finest post-Coltrane bop around"; Bebop and Beyond claimed Halley to be one of the few "significant white followers of Sonny Rollins." Musicianship like this will not stay hidden long. Wednesday & Thursday, 9:00 p.m. Moire Music Trevor Watts - soprano/alto saxophone Simon Picard - tenor/soprano saxophone Nana Tsiboe - African percussion Liane Carroll - voice Peter Knight - violin & viola Colin McKenzie - bass Liam Genockey - drums Veryan Weston - piano & marimba Here is a rare opportunity to hear one of England's finest contemporary ensembles. Moire Music was founded in 1982 by Trevor Watts, a leading figure in the English contemporary scene since the 1960s. It includes musicians from remarkably diverse backgrounds (British, Irish and African folk, classical, jazz, pop), resulting in a unique and fascinating sound. The ensemble sets down rich, funky rhythm patterns that show a decided African influence, while the soloists soar in and out of these patterns with intensity and imagination. As one critic has written, "Moire Music satisfies the head, the heart and the feet. " 20 Western Canada's finest jazz venue, the YARDBIRD SUITE which is run by the Edmonton Jazz Society (1973) presents 12 nights of the very finest "hard and be-bop" related music June 28 - July 9th. Members and guests of the Jazz Society are in for some great treats as the YARDBIRD celebrates till the wee small hours of the morning! J.J. Johnson and his Quintet J.J. Johnson - trombone Ralph Moore - tenor saxophone Stanley Cowell - piano Rufus Reid - bass Victor Lewis - drums "Let's just say I've been around the block a few times and I'm happy to be back. " J.J. Johnson • The legendary J.J. Johnson, considered by many to be the founding father of modern jazz trombone, returned to the performing scene just last year after some 17 years away from the live stage. His powerful quintet has been drawing full houses and rave reviews all over the U.S. This date at the Yardbird Suite is an unbelievable opportunity to hear one of jazz's legendary players in an intimate club setting. "Johnson left no doubt that his always formidable chops are unimpaired. Bop trombone can reach a savage degree of intensity, as he made clear by ripping notes out in powerful, perfectly controlled lines. " Leonard Feather, The Los Angeles Times Reflexionen Urs Leimgruber - saxophones and flute Don Friedman - piano Michel Benita - bass Joel Allouche - drums A Swiss saxophonist, an American pianist, a Swedish bassist and a French drummer: truly an international quartet. With enough of a traditional style to keep the rhythm section swinging and driving, these players also know how to stretch out. Their music was described by Jazzforum as "a blend of post-bop and avant-garde approaches." They return to the Yardbird Suite after winning over a solid following at the club during last year's Jazz City. .. EDMON!iiSOCIETY • 21 Masqualero Monday to Wednesday, 10:00 p.m. Tore Brunborg - saxophones Nils Petter Molvaer - trumpet Frode Aines - guitar Arild Andersen - bass Jon Christensen - drums Bluenote Recording Artists Out of the Blue They may call themselves the masked one, but these Norwegian musicians bare their musical hearts in performance. Their one night at the Suite last fall left the audience dazzled. Drawing, as do so many mature contemporary bands, from the old and the new and from east and west, Masqualero "slips in between categories and demands to be considered on its own terms." Downbeat "Masqualero are in the vanguard of those musicians who continually prove that Europe has its own heartland to explore, and need not settle for simply imitating American models in order to produce great jazz." The Connection Michael Phillip Mossman - trumpet Steve Wilson - alto saxophone Don Bradon - tenor saxophone Renee Rosnes - piano James Genus - bass Billy Drummond - drums This new band consists of some of the finest young jazz musicians on the New York scene. With a threehorn front line and a tight, fiery, straight-ahead sound, OTB is reminiscent of the Jazz Messengers at their best. "... yet another aspect of the force that makes for a rich jazz tradition is now available: young artists who aren't afraid of the standards set by the masters." Stanley Crouch The Yardbird Suite Allstars JU\..'l 7-9 Dave Turner - alto saxophone Ron Dilauro - trumpet Jon Ballantyne - piano Neil Swainson - bass Barry Elmes - drums As always, the Suite assembles a hot house-band for the final few nights of the festival to keep the music cooking until the early morning hours. This year's band is made up of a contingent of Canada's finest jazz musicians. And who knows who else might drop in to jam. 22