caught

1) ownbe..�
ously offered a smorgasbord of sounds for
eight hours a day, free of charge!
Even more impressive than the quantity
was the quality. The odd local fusion band
aside, the emphasis was on creativity and
originality with a large dose of new music
that did not neglect the past. Brass Roots
(building on The Dirty Dozen's liberation of
brass bands) opened the festival with a
parade that blended together second-line
drumming with screaming saxes. Ornette
Coleman's influence was felt on many players
ffi including. the very promising altoist Roy
� Styffe, the melodies of Pierre Cartier's
quartet (which boasted a pleasing alto-so­
5i prano
frontline), and the free-bop solos of

matic, an artist struggling to decide what to
do with his imposing genius. Of late, Wynton
has compressed the dynamic level to an
elegant whisper (even his "Black Codes"
has been tamed and smoothed-out) and he
has hearkened to new historical models­
New Orleans orthodoxy and Louis Arm­
strong. One major distinction between the
old/new Wynton is the "Tain" factor, as
illustrated the next night. Then, brother
Branford played a feisty set with W ynton's
former drum fireball, Jeff "Tain" Watts, and
pianist Kenny Kirkland, lacking Wynton's
conceptual rigor but gaining in sheer blowing
power. Sting has not taken the sting out of
Branford or Kirkland.
In short, Montreal's 10th festival, if not
the most daring of musical menus, proved
to be nearly everything you want in a jazz
festival, in plentiful supply. It was relatively
encyclopedic, without dogmatic eccentrici­
ties. pr pop-pap sellouts. The staging was
exemplary, and the musicians were treated
right. And the trains ran on time.
-josef woodard

DUMAURIER
VANCOUVER JAZZ
FESTIVAL

VARIOUS SITESNANCOUVER

. ith the successful comp! on
' of its fourth annual mar hon,
;·
the du Maurier Va couv r
Jazz Festival (largelY, nkno �
outside of Canada) has proven · self to 1;i
one of the major jazz events the year.
During a 10-day period in Ia e June, /the
Coastal Jazz and Blues Socie (unde!f the
direction of Ken Pickering) ayed host to
150 performances by 400 IT\' sicians ?t 15
different venues around the pty, including a
pair of outside areas, four �verse cdncert
halls, five nightclubs, and e�en a shdpping
center. During the final three days, a (rio of
stages at the former Expo site simu\ ane�

54 DOWN BEAT OCTOBER 1 989

'•.

a little by Steve Lacy) is strikingly original.
Her tone and imagination should take her
far. Pianist Plimley plays intense improvisa­
tions without leaving out humor and is
explorative while not being afraid to refer
to the past (as witness his eccentric strid­
ing). He and his bassist Lisle Ellis (who can
get near-miraculous sounds with his bow)
displayed impressive musical communica­
tion. Other Canadian players who deserve
mention for their future potential: the fero-·
cious baritone and tenor of Daniel Kane
(who shocked some people by tearing apart
"Mood Indigo"), the tapping guitarist Budge
Shachte, trombonist Tom Walsh, saxophon­
ist Richard Underhill, bop altoist Saul Bei:­
son, and 22-year-old drummer Graeme
Kirkland.;
Well-known American players headlined
at the bigger arenas, including John Scofield
(sticking mostly to standards), John Mc­
Laughlin's trio, Carla Bley/Steve Swallow
(performing intimate duets and finishing
with a humorous piece that focused on their
limited vocal ranges), Peter Erskine's band
(featuring Randy Brecker and John Aber­
crombie in a loose set with a jam session
flavor), and Tony Williams' superb unit. The
exuberant Williams started off with a 10minute drum roll and, aided by Wallace
Roney and Billy Pierce, did not let up for
two hours. Jay McShann and vocalist Big
Miller played and sang the blues, answered
audience questions, told humorous stories,
Jane Bunnell
and put on a blues seminar that should have
tenorman Mike Murley's quartet. Jon Faddis been filmed. Helen Merrill compensated for
(who is finally showing signs of escaping the inevitable aging of her voice with intense
from Dizzy's shadow), veteran tenor Fraser emotion and sincerity; her duets with pianist
MacPherson, and guitarist Oliver Gannon Mike Nock on very slow versions of "While
kept the mainstream tradition alive while We're Young" and a longing "I'm A Fool To
Hugh Fraser's V.E.JI. 'group recreated a Want You" were extremely touching. In
large part of Mingus' "The Black Saint And contrast there was Sun Ra, whose shows
The Sinner Lady" with spirit and wit. have become an updated Cotton Club revue
George Gruntz's Concert Jazz Band (star- with strong hints of Las Vegas and The Ed
ring Joe Henderson, Ray Anderson, and Sullivan Show. The acrobatic dancers, Walt
Lew Soloff, among others) and Britain's Disney tunes, group chants, and even a plate
Loose Tubes had memorable sets, but it twirler often bury the music, but his "space
was The Jazz Passengers who seemed to is the place" party is difficult to dislike.
best symbolize the premise behind the fesFinally, mention should be made of four
tival. Their
e--of-instrum
other innovators: the highly original veteran
(incl · f\jb s, violin, alto, trombo�and-..__.
'1,"anist Horace Tapscott (proof that there is
guitaJisCwho doubled on french horn), t{�atj_ve jazz in L.A.), the remarkably dihum,9{, and ecleticism was a high point.
vetse: ill Frisell (who, if he wanted to, could
One of the major discoverie-s of the festi- make ll\ ortune as either a studio country
/a1 was the large number of highly talented picker ot a heavy metal guitarist), Anthony
Canadian ilayers who, because they are not Braxton, \ d Marilyn Crispell. Braxton has
based in New York, are largely unknown in received' ery erratic press through the
the U.S. -veteran bop alto great P.J. Perry years. Suifi e it to say that he can play things
(a worthy suc_cessor to Sonny Stitt), the on the a!l;b that have never been heard becolorful trumpeter Bill Clark, the young fore, exp,i-e sing emotions ranging from hiTyner-inspired pianist Renee Rosnes, B� larity to gr at sadness. Marilyn Crispell is a
edman's highly expressive tenor, the modern in ster of the piano whose solo set,
�
egendary drummer Claude Ranger, and the full of ti)lc ham10nies and rapid atonal flurstrong tenor of Phil Dwyer. Of all of these, ries, cort uded with a reverential version of
two are more than ready for much greater Coltra/ie' "Dear Lord." Crispell is comparecognition: Jane Bunnett and Paul Plimley. rable, t a masterful classical pianist; one
ite believe that she can play so perBunnett, a fine flutist, has found her own
and still be human.
-scot! yanow
voice on soprano where her style (touched f
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