You’ve come a long, er, short way baby…

Well, here it is December 31, 2011. So much has taken place this past year and yet I am still amazed that an entire year has swept on by. I have done a lot this year and had many changes come my way as well. I have heard some incredible music this year, through the many concerts I have attended (lucky me). I have listened to numerous recordings and I have been inspired by  players on the international stage and by my Vancouver cohorts as well.

 Two new accomplishments for me were learning to play the ukulele enough to play it for some of my performances. Though still a novice; (very very novice!) I have enjoyed my time strumming and plucking and learning about the instrument while at the same time I have been frustrated at my slow rate of progress and the fact that the uke will not stay in tune. Thanks to Daphne Roubini for inspiring me to learn to play the uke. Daphne is the “first lady of the Uke”.

 The piano is definitely not a new instrument to me and yet this past year I performed on the piano for the first time in a jazz context. I am not a jazz pianist!! It did feel exciting to include my own piano playing for two of my shows and to create my own arrangements for that purpose. Of course I can play the piano but learning to play the piano in a jazz context is a completely different thing from playing classical or pop music. Challenges are welcome and that is one for me.

 The next instrument that I will attempt to learn to play is the melodica. I am inspired to play it due to 3 people in my musical life: Pianist Steve Christofferson, (who plays it at the same time as he is playing the piano, yes, at the same time!) He includes it on all the playing he does with vocalist Nancy King. My fellow band mates in “SONG AMUSEMENT PARK” Michael Creber and Tom Keenlyside are also wonderful melodica players. So, 2012 will hopefully be the year I get better at playing my uke, better at including the piano on some gigs and begin to play the melodica as well.

 I’m due for some new music project and I know that in my heart. There are ideas simmering as I go for my runs and I go for my bike rides; those are the times my creative pulses seem to quicken. A concert to produce?  Songs for a recording? I don’t know yet and I continue to simmer…

 This past year I was happy to have two music projects involving writing and arranging for two specific groups: “SONG AMUSEMENT PARK”, a trio with Michael Creber & Tom Keenlyside. (no drums, no bass). There is variety galore in that Tom can play numerous instruments. He plays the flute, tenor sax, soprano sax, melodica and the clarinet. Endless soundscape possibilities!! My second group is “EQUATION” which I decided to put together based on what I knew of each of the musicians I chose: careful listeners, creative improvisers and sensitive players and that’s what I get with Chris Gestrin, James Danderfer, Laurence Mollerup and Joe Poole. Each of the 4 men is very busy playing in their own ensembles and with other people. (They are in demand!!) so the gigs might be few and far between but the experience thus far has been thrilling to me musically speaking. I feel an equal fondness for both the S.A.P. group and the E.group, both have elasticity, energy and creative verve and both seem to make me be a better musician or at least to try to become better.

 In my teaching life I hope to continue to inspire and motivate my young and older students as they include music in their lives. There will be a “Beatles Project” similar to one we had 2 years ago. There are so many fantastic things to learn from the Beatles catalogue of songs. So many great songs!!! I also really want to have a “Beethoven & Bach” project for my students. Not all my students are interested in classical music but several are and classical music should be as fun to perform as music by the Beatles or any other pop group. I haven’t quite figured out how to keep it fun for my pop listening teenagers but, that is a good goal for me in 2012.

 So, here’s to coming a little way in 2011….and to looking ahead to 2012 baby…

Orange is the color

Orange is the color 

It’s the color of pumpkins ready for their big night
With primping and carving to get them just right
They will glow and invite little goblins and ghosts
To each creepy doorway to see who gathers most.

 

It’s the color of oak leaves holding on ‘til the end
Now they swirl to the ground where the time they will spend
Being raked, being gathered, being crunched, being seen
They define changing seasons, think you know what I mean.

Oranges and yellows, deep reds, russet browns
It is Nature’s own painting as she settles down
For soon she’ll start over with white, snowy white
As winter is welcomed and fall says good night…

 

 

Autumn in Whitehorse Yukon…

So here I am on my first evening in Whitehorse Yukon. I’m here to teach a week of vocal jazz to 35 interested vocalists, some with experience, others novices to the genre. Week one took place in the spring and now I’m back to see where we might land on this musical journey. I’ll also be teaching private lessons to several of the singers when time permits. Two of the mornings I’ll be going to one of the high schools and doing a presentation for the students and seeing if I can entice them into the world of jazz! I’ll also be performing a concert with four Whitehorse jazz musicians. I’m really looking forward to that as well and have chosen a particular program of tunes to share with them.

So…my week will be filled with my beloved jazz music but other things are on my mind as well ever since I landed this afternoon.

As I flew into Whitehorse in the middle of the sunny September afternoon, such breath taking autumn colors greeted me!!! I have never been here in the fall but here it is! Autumn has arrived and with the blue and purple tones of the hills in the background, the deep green of the pine trees and the deciduous trees displaying their new September shades in the sun, the glow and warmth of the place welcomed me. I read an article on the plane that mentioned people using the word “fall” or “autumn” to name this season. I prefer AUTUMN which seems like a more elegant word to describe this colorful season. “Fall” of course IS what the leaves will eventually do but, until they do that it is “Autumn” to me, beautiful and elegant Autumn with it’s warm “m” sound ending the word and with it’s silent “n”. I adore that!

So, here I am in my favorite time of year in a place that embraces the arts and also features Mother Nature in all her splendor. I understand that I am lucky to arrive here this week since Mother Nature also may decide that this color palette might last just one week at the most. The winds could come and claim all the colors for another year. Apparently that is not uncommon. I will cross my fingers for a long leisurely AUTUMN here in Whitehorse, with a long and enjoyable week of music making. Here’s hoping….

Equations & other beauties…

I am reminded of the beauty I am lucky enough to see here in Vancouver where I live, especially these past few weeks in August where FINALLY the days are sunny and the evenings too; holding their warmth into the later hours. During the summer I don’t have many gigs and I don’t teach so although I am constantly working on music it appears to be a time of preparation for future performances and projects and for the teaching that lies ahead. There is time for cycling and leisure walking and time for socializing with friends and going to concerts and films. There is time to visit family and time to plan a camping trip to end the summer and get ready for autumn days ahead.

First, what lies ahead is next week’s annual Swing Camp taking place in Sorrento BC. I have taught there for several summers on and off and I always love the experience of being immersed in music all day long whether that “immersion” is in the role of a teacher, a performer or a listener. “Swing is the thing” in Sorrento but that doesn’t mean that blues, R&B, bossa and a few other grooves are not explored.

This year I’ll be teaching a class in vocal repertoire and it is a particular passion of mine. We’ll the development of an interesting and diverse repertoire with respect to being a jazz vocalist. I have selected a new slate of tunes, some which are new additions to my own repertoire. I will never run out of new material given the thousands that exist both well known to many and some less familiar but equally good songs!

I’ll also be teaching a special workshop on the inclusion of the verse in jazz standards. Often people (including musicians) get confused about what a verse or a chorus are since in jazz the term “Verse” has a different meaning than the “Verse” in pop or folk music. The verses in jazz are those little lyrical introductions that allow the singer to preview the song’s story in a fashion. It is the little lead in story, which sets up the familiar song, which in jazz we call the “Chorus”. Since many of these songs are from Broadway musicals and films, the composers use the verses to move from the spoken word within the acted scene into the musical aspect of the show. Not all jazz vocalists employ the usage of the verse but singers such as Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra and many others often included them. Some of the verses really are little gems lyrically and melodically and I personally adore including them when possible.

My ukulele skills are not improving dramatically however I continue to put some time in almost daily so that hopefully I will progress from being a beginner player to one who can play some songs with less effort physically and without struggling mentally. When I am practicing the ukulele I am surprised at how time seems to disappear. By that I mean I continue playing until I suddenly become aware that much time has passed and there are other things I should be doing. Happily it doesn’t feel like practicing even when there are challenges involved in the finger placement, in the tuning of the uke, in the remembering of certain chord positions. Often it feels like play as opposed to work and I believe that is a good thing.

On the performing front, I have some shows coming up and one of those will take place in Whitehorse, Yukon as I go up there in September to teach the second level of a vocal jazz workshop and, I’ll be performing a concert during my time there. I am very excited about week two of the workshop since the spring session proved to be very successful. Such talented and wonderful people residing in Whitehorse! I am still struck by the fact that just 15 years ago I first attended a vocal jazz workshop in Banff, studying with Sheila Jordan and Jay Clayton; two of the world’s finest jazz artists. That experience changed my life and inspired me to continue my journey in vocal jazz. I hope I can be a good teacher and inspire others to choose a similar path.

More news: I have put together a brand new ensemble following a particularly fun jazz vespers performance I had earlier this year. The initial ensemble didn’t have a drummer but now I am very excited to include Joe Poole. I have heard Joe several times in this past year and I have been able to sing with him on one occasion in a big band concert. I am deeply impressed not only by his drumming skills but by his absolute (seems to me at least) devotion to the music he is playing whether it is a big band setting or a small ensemble. He can be what I call a “ferocious drummer” but often that ferocious nature is more to do with energy and intensity rather than with decibels and power. I love that about his playing!!

So…the new ensemble is called “THE EQUATION” since I believe and hope that this particular combination of musicians will result in some fantastic music making and I can be a part of that. The musicians are pianist Chris Gestrin, bassist Laurence Mollerup, clarinetist James Danderfer and drummer Joe Poole. We’ll have our debut performance later this fall at The Cellar in Vancouver. I have some work to do to get ready for that. Talk is cheap I know so I best devote some of my time so that I can be positive part of  “ THE EQUATION”…

Summertime & the living is easy?

Well, it may not be EASY exactly but summer officially begins tomorrow. There’s the scent of roses in the air and freshly cut lawns and all other blooming flowers are competing for one’s attention. How’s a girl going to get any music work done? Ah, occasional insomnia and evening hours are for that it seems.

This week I have two concerts to perform in what horn player Tom Keenlyside is calling our “road trip”. Yes, indeed one concert this Thursday will take place in West Vancouver by the ocean at the Silk Purse Art Centre while the following evening we kick off Vancouver’s 2011 Jazz Festival at O’Doul’s in downtown Vancouver. The two performances are with the aforementioned Tom Keenlyside and pianist Michael Creber in our trio “SONG AMUSEMENT PARK”. The three of us always have a lot of fun making music together and there are typically some surprises along the way; surprises even for the three of us. It’s laughter and the sharing of some quirky songs and some other material that seems to suit us as well as several of my own originals.

One of the “amusements” as of late is the inclusion of my ukulele in our shows. My beloved ukulele is still a relatively new instrument in my hands and my tuning techniques remain questionable but I have been told that I am improving. I have written four songs using the uke so far and I have learned at least five standards. I have discovered it is good brain work for me as well. I am used to putting my hands on the piano keyboard and understanding which keys I need for a particular chord or progression. With the ukulele I am still a greenhorn when it comes to awareness of chords knowing exactly which notes I am playing. Where is D again? OK, got it. Now how do you play F#dim? Keep trying…

These past two weeks many of my piano and voice students participated in recital performances and I was indeed a proud teacher. It felt very gratifying to hear students sing freely; with ease and flexibility and, to hear my piano students play with finesse and with dynamics and accuracy. Yes!! Everyone stepped up to the plate so to speak and really shone and that really can be difficult when nerves or a flawed memory present a challenge on the day of a performance.

In a few recent days of insomnia I got up and composed some pieces for some of my younger piano students and a couple of songs with lyrics as well for a few students who play and sing. One of my favorite new pieces is dedicated to one of my boy students who is hooked on any kind of game he can get his hands on. “Game Boy” is the name of the little piece that I thought he might enjoy and that was inspired by his passion. I wrote “Time To Spare” for one of my girl students and had fun including silences in the form of rests in a piece that is otherwise very rhythmic and playful. Hopefully my students will enjoy their teacher’s new pieces and not just think that she is giving them more work for the summer months!

Now, the glass is full…

Here then are Paul’s answers to the Q&A with Paul Rushka &  James Danderfer. Both musicians have returned home to Vancouver for some shows at The Cellar. Last week I posted James’ answers to my queries.

K. Paul , how long have both you been in Montreal now extending your music studies @ McGill University and with whom are you studying and working?

P. I’ve been in Montreal since August of 2008. I finished my Master’s degree in Jazz Performance this past summer and started on a Doctorate in September. I’ve been fortunate to pick the minds of many while at McGill: for performance, I’ve studied with Remi Bolduc (a fantastic teacher) and Kevin Dean, while for composition, I’ve studied with Jan Jarczyk and Joe Sullivan. I’ve also started piano lessons in the last few months, working with Josh Rager, an amazing pianist and also a good friend.

K. Paul, I believe you have just finished recording some brand new music, which you will be releasing in the New Year. Is that what you will be featuring when you play @ The Cellar in December?

P. Yes, we will be featuring the music from the recording, with a few extra things thrown in.

K. Are you finding obvious similarities between music that composers are creating in Montreal and Vancouver or do you find that there really is a different approach and style to music and concepts explored now that you are in Montreal?

P. Certainly, a lot of the music has many similarities. But I do find there is more of an emphasis on being modern (whatever that may mean) in Montreal. There’s definitely a lot of straight 8th/rock type feels, and a lot of mixed metre stuff as well.

K. What have you found to be the greatest challenges about moving to Montreal when you had made Vancouver your home for so long?

P. I haven’t found Montreal to be too much of a challenge. The hardest thing for me is that I really miss my friends and musical acquaintances here in Vancouver. While it isn’t a challenge per se, being away has made me realise how special the scene and the people are here and I miss being able to make music with them on a regular basis. But that just makes it even better when I return to town.

K. Do you have any advice to younger musicians who are interested in the world of jazz and composition now that you are both immersed in that life as players and composers/arrangers?

P. The only advice I have is to believe in one’s self. This music is difficult and we all experience ups and downs, like anything else in life. But I wouldn’t be continuing with jazz if I didn’t believe that I have something, however small, to offer.

K. Are there other forms of art or music that you go to for inspiration or for new ideas as you are working on your compositions or are you following your own muse and satisfying that inner drive to create?

P. Probably the most valuable thing I have gotten out of my studies at McGill is how they put a priority on creativity and finding your own voice. It’s made me start focussing more on what it is that drives me, and defining what kind of music really inspires me, so that I can create music that reflects those values. Because of that, I find that I’m looking less and less for outside inspiration, and looking internally more to try to define the sound and the music that I want to create.

K. Regarding recorded music (albums, CD’s, etc) and the new music you will be releasing, what are your thoughts on music downloads vs. CD’s? Will you still be offering your audience CD’s to buy or be directing them to itunes exclusively?

P. That is an interesting question. I think hard copies of music (cd’s, records, etc) will always have value to a select group of people. Personally, I always prefer having a cd rather than downloading tracks. For that reason, I will definitely print some cd’s, but I will also make sure the recording is available digitally for those who prefer that medium.

K. Is there anything that one of your instructors or mentors have said to you in the recent past that has inspired, entertained or enlightened you?

P. There isn’t a specific line that comes to mind, but back in October, I had the opportunity to take a lesson with the amazing English pianist John Taylor. I have been a huge fan of his for years, and simply being around him and playing a few tunes with him was one of the most amazing musical experiences I have ever had, and it continues to inspire me.

K. Paul, you are definitely not a well kept jazz secret having performed with many leading artists in Canada: Bill Coon, Mike Allen, Denzal Sinclaire, Jillian Lebeck, Laura Crema, Brad Turner, Jill Townsend and, “one of the best kept jazz secrets in Canada” Mr. James Danderfer. Do you enjoy being a bandleader or do you in fact prefer being a member of a group where someone else is at the helm or sharing the responsibilities of putting the music together?

P. Obviously there’s good and bad to both situations. It’s always nice to have someone else in charge and dealing with all the small worries that bandleaders have to take care of. And I have had some incredible musical situations as a sideman that makes me very grateful for all the opportunities that have come my way. I’ve learned a great deal from all the different musicians I’ve worked with, and I would like to believe that has helped me to be a better bandleader. It has certainly improved my musicianship and my composition skills. Having said that, there is also something very special about offering a wider perspective of myself to the audience. Leading my own band that performs my original compositions is a very enriching thing and I am especially thankful to have such fantastic musicians and friends to deliver my musical message. I would like to work a little more as a leader, but I would never quit working as a sideman.

K. Good luck to you in your “back at home” performances in Vancouver this coming December. Any last minute thoughts to share with people who may be inspired to come to your shows at The Jazz Cellar?

P. Enjoy the music.

The Glass is half full?

Karin’s Q&A with James Danderfer and Paul Rushka (both appearing at The Jazz Cellar this December)

*note at time of posting Paul Rushka was still meeting deadlines  at McGill so for now here are James’ responses in advance of his December 17 & 18 shows. Paul’s group appears there on December 15

 

K. Paul & James, how long have both you been in Montreal now extending your music studies @ McGill University and with whom are you studying and working?

J. I’ve been here a year and a half, just one more semester to go in the Masters program.  At which point I will officially be a “master” of jazz composition,… also at which point my musician friends will harass me to no end with the likes of “Hey look, it’s Obi-wan Kenobi, the jedi jazz master.” etc, etc.  I can’t wait.  Of course,… that’s nothing compared to what Rushka’s in for once he becomes “Doctor Jazz.”

K. James, you are also coming back to the Cellar with your group “THE HAPPY”. Is this New Orleans inspired music something you have been working on while you have been in Montreal?

J. Originally, my love of New Orleans music comes from actually spending time in the “Big Easy” a few years back and listening to some of those fantastic musicians.  Since then, I’ve been slowly working towards a better understanding of both the old traditional New Orleans jazz and the contemporary, funky New Orleans brass band music.  The show at the Cellar will be a mix of these songs plus a slew of originals by yours truly which I’m very excited about.  And yes, I did write this latest batch while here at McGill; in fact, I performed this music for my Master’s recital and it was fun!  I’m going to go out on a limb and say it was one of the funnest masters recitals turned in in recent years.

K.. Are both of you finding obvious similarities between music that composers are creating in Montreal and Vancouver or do you find that there really is a different approach and style to music and concepts explored now that you are in Montreal?

J. That’s hard to say, as a post-grad student I’ve been pretty busy at school and therefore quite isolated; I still don’t know the scene very well unfortunately.  As far as the other composers at McGill, I’ve noticed more European influence (ie straight 8th, modern classical type harmonies or rhythmic concepts), there’s also a lot of odd meter writing going on besides 5 and 7,… it gets pretty complicated, but it’s cool to hear too.

K.. What have each have you found to be the greatest challenges about moving to Montreal when you had made Vancouver your home for so long?

J. I’ve been traveling and moving around a lot since I was 16 years old, so Montreal was a comparatively easy place to move to for me.  The language barrier has been a struggle at times, but I just need to spend some more time on my French studies,… next semester, I swear it will happen.  It’s a beautiful language too, I’ve got no excuse!

K. Do you have any advice to younger musicians who are interested in the world of jazz and composition now that you are both immersed in that life as players and composers/arrangers?

J. I wouldn’t really recommend young jazzers do what I did but here are some thoughts:  Be open minded and get any and all kinds of professional experience you can once you’re out of University, whether that’s playing cocktail gigs, booking jazz gigs, playing on cruise ships, teaching kids, etc.  it’s all valuable experience!  Please, PLEASE don’t go straight from undergrad studies to grad studies, to a teaching gig; you gotta get out there and learn to play outside of the academic environment, play for human beings who don’t know anything about how hip your licks are, just get out there.

K. Are there other forms of art or music that you go to for inspiration or for new ideas as you are working on your compositions or are you following your own muse and satisfying that inner drive to create?

J. I can get inspiration from anything; a jazz song, a rock-electro pop song, a movie, a story, from watching the news or reading the paper.  Sometimes there’s no source of inspiration, I just sit at the piano and play freely until something catches my attention, it could be something very complicated or it could be a simple folk-song type of thing.  I like writing in different styles too, so that helps me to be open to any possibility, even if it’s a really goofy song idea, I’ll still write it down because something about it makes me feel something.

K. Regarding recorded music (albums, CD’s, etc) and the new music you will be releasing, what are your thoughts on music downloads vs. CD’s? Will you still be offering your audience CD’s to buy or be directing them to itunes exclusively?

J. I’ll still print some CD’s because I think audiences would still rather have a CD than a download card, BUT I’m not going to print as many as before, I’m almost out of closet space already!  The download cards are really handy for sharing your music in an affordable (and space effective) way.  Actually, I’m kind of leaning towards having all of my music streaming from my website; I don’t know, some musicians balk at that idea, and I can see why, but I just don’t see album sales as much of a source of income by itself, it has to tie in to a whole number of things and the fact is we’ve got this tool (the internet) which we can use to share with people worldwide.  You know, levels of engagement, and so on.  This is a topic for a whole other article by itself!

K. Is there anything that one of your instructors or mentors have said to you in the recent past that has inspired, entertained or enlightened you?

J. Yes, Joe Sullivan told me how he experienced the kind of self-doubt that many of us arrive at a certain point in our development, where we say to ourselves “Well, I’m not a John Coltrane, this is just my level and I’ll have to accept that.”  But it’s a very self-defeating viewpoint and the fact is we can continue to improve, while still really enjoying music.  I could really relate to what Joe was saying and it’s inspired me to expect more from myself, but in a positive way.  Does that make any sense.  Jan Jarczyk has also really helped me out with my composition process, teaching me to “trust my inner ear” and just write songs my a pencil, manuscript paper, and that’s it!

K. James, you are known (or unknown) to be “one of the best-kept jazz secrets in Canada” according to Mr. Bill King. Are you ever disenchanted about your choices of becoming a musician and composer or how do you keep positive about the realities of being a musician in Canada?

J. Yeah baby!  ”Best-kept secret”, right here!  Don’t tell anyone about my shows!  No, I’m never disenchanted with my chosen path, because it’s so goddamn fun!  I complain sometimes about how hard it is to make a living, true, but in the end I’m thankful to have something I enjoy so much.  I’d much rather have something I love to do and struggle to make money than to make money and struggle to find something I love.

K.. Good luck to both of you in your “back at home” performances in Vancouver this coming December. Any last minute thoughts to share with people who may be inspired to come to your shows at The Jazz Cellar?

J. Just come on out and enjoy, it’s going to be a party!

K. Thanks James. Have a great time playing at The Cellar this month and enjoy your time back home.

 

The Tour De Force?

The Tour de Force?

Well perhaps the recent tour I was on wasn’t exactly a tour de force (Dictionary: “A feat requiring great virtuosity or strength, often deliberately undertaken for its difficulty”) but then again perhaps there were elements of that existing too. I deliberately embarked upon the tour even although I didn’t receive a touring grant but not because I thought it might be difficult or challenging. It WAS indeed challenging at times but for the most part it was (and hind sight as they say is 20/20) a wonderful adventure. Many kilometers were logged both in the Ontario/Quebec part of the tour and also in Alberta and Saskatchewan. In the Prairie Provinces we logged 4100 km of driving and in total for the whole tour we drove 6800 km. In the first stage of the tour we were treated to the unbelievable beauty of the Ontario and Quebec autumn colors, quite different from our own changing season in BC. In Alberta and Saskatchewan there was lots of time to gaze across the landscape and check in with my prairie roots so to speak; the sprawling fields following the harvest brought back memories of my Dad’s farming days. On the prairies, there actually were areas where farmers were still working their land since this was a rather unusual year and the season began late and then in turn ended late too. Some harvesting was taking place right into the month of November and that is unusual. Driving up to Jasper from Banff was a dramatic contrast to the prairies and a reminder that Canada has such a wide spectrum of landscapes.

So along with the music making (which is the real reason for the tour of course!) we were on a real Canadian road trip traveling our highways and seeing the varied landscape which included the dramatic vista of the Rocky Mountains and the vastness of the prairies where at some points you can see for many miles and you can witness why it is called “big sky country”.

One of the wonderful things that did take place on the tour is that my trio (particularly the second stage of the tour) became a very solid little group. The musical connection between pianist John Roney and cellist Bryan Holt continued to change and expand and my own role within the group probably improved as well the more we played together. Stage one of the tour with cellist Dominic Painchaud was lovely as well but John, Bryan and I played many more shows together on stage two of the tour. It was gratifying to know that my decision to include the cello as the foundation for the piano + voice trio worked very well. With the cello included in the trio the repertoire we presented could be quite varied. We were able to play bebop and swing based tunes and then include some of the more classically oriented music and art songs as well. Audiences everywhere seemed to really enjoy the sound variation of the trio and perhaps they realized that it was rather unusual since typically they would be hearing an acoustic bass in jazz trio format.

Another exciting thing for me personally is to have the music that was recorded on my CD “out of town” take on a new life while touring. I have never been a fan of simply trying to play the tunes exactly as they are on a recording when you are performing live although sometimes that can be quite satisfying as well if the arrangement is used as a framework for the tune. It was fun to have my trio play tunes that were recorded as duo tunes with piano and voice only, incorporate the cello and have the arrangements expand and develop throughout the tour. The interplay between the three of us on several of the songs we performed is what made the tour ultimately exciting and worthwhile. That is why I love this music!

So even though there were many days leading up to the actual tour when I asked myself if it was really all worth it what with all the hours of work putting it all together involved and with some disappointments and frustration in that process, I can honestly say now that it was a positive experience and I am so glad that I was able to go.

I extend my gratitude to all the presenters and people in the media in Canada who supported our efforts. Of course I thank pianist John Roney cellists Bryan Holt and Dominic Painchaud for their wonderful musicianship. Perhaps most of all I thank the co-producer of my “out of town” recording Gorm Damborg for being our tour manager and tour driver. We were very lucky to have him with us on this tour and I am truly thankful since there were some long and grueling days and he always remained positive and upbeat and, got us to all our shows safely and on time.

Now, its good to be home in Vancouver  and to look forward to new music experiences that may come my way…

Crossing my fingers…

And the fun continues….Stage two of my Canadian tour starts up again next week. I’m crossing my fingers for good driving conditions and for nice sized audiences at our shows. Alberta and Saskatchewan this time of year can be a bit unpredictable weather-wise because it can change from autumn to winter over night. Hopefully autumn will resist winter’s pull just a bit longer.

This stage of the tour could be somewhat energy draining only because it involves lots of driving and at times two performances in a day. We are appearing at universities and schools as part of the tour and that will definitely involve some very early mornings to ensure we get from one city to the next and be on time. I believe it will be worth it because my the “eye on the prize” keeps me thinking about this opportunity to share our music with audiences who might be interested in jazz.

“Interest in jazz” is a topic that has grown near and dear to my heart as of late. I am becoming more and more aware that jazz is still a very tough sell across the country. Yes, there are the jazz fans that exist out there but presenters are finding it increasingly difficult to attract larger audiences sizes to their shows since jazz is not truly the “popular” music. I also believe the struggling economy has something to do with people’s hesitation at buying tickets to events as often as they might have a few years ago. I have spoken to people who are of the mind that across the country there are those people who have already lost their jobs (and must therefore cling to their remaining money) and there are those people who worry that they might lose their jobs and therefore they don’t have the freedom in spending money on things that would be considered special or perhaps frivolous and perhaps a jazz concert is in that category. There is also the reality that I am not a “name” artist and therefore unless there is a really compelling reason for someone to take a chance and buy a ticket for one of our shows, it will be through word of mouth (if someone already knows me) or it will be by chance that they happen to come to our show.

I suppose my “mission” then is to attempt to share the music with the audiences and in whatever way possible ensure that they experience something special: the element of surprise that exists in jazz music, the intimacy that is available within the music when the musicians are completely focused on bringing a tune to life and allowing the listener to be completed enveloped in that experience, i.e. the “fly on the wall” concept whereby the audience is privy to the musical conversation if they are truly listening in an active way. Hopefully the shows will contain something for everyone: whimsy and humor, heart felt emotion, ability and artistry.

Hopefully we can deliver this so that regardless the size of the audience, the effect will be the same: satisfaction and pleasure at having decided to come and hear us play. Crossing my fingers for stage two of the “get out of town” tour…

“get out of town” tour…

Time to do a little blog about my “get out of town” tour 2010…My tour is with pianist John Roney and cellists Dominic Painchaud and Bryan Holt who are alternating on this tour. One luxury is having Gorm Damborg (co-producer of my CD “out of town”) act as our driver and general road manager and supporter in every way.

At this moment we are driving from Toronto back to Montreal for our performance at The Upstairs Club tonight. It is a perfect autumn day with Ontario displaying it’s famous fall colors both breath-taking and awe inspiring. It’s a bit more awe-inspiring on a sunny day such as this is compared to a few days ago when, while we drove from Quebec City to Montreal and on to Toronto we were immersed in heavy rains that left the colors foggy in the background while more importantly we kept our attention on the highway conditions. Must arrive safe and sound!  So, perhaps we’ll have some nice days in Montreal now which would be grand because we have a few days to explore that lovely city before heading to Ottawa later in the week.

My experience thus far on this tour is that one must be prepared for heavy traffic during rush hour in large cities and be prepared to live out of a suitcase (of course!) and to sit in a van for long periods of time since these cities are at quite a distance from each other. That is just the traveling part and certainly any touring musicians whether on a small independent scale (me!) or big time artists traveling the world will encounter challenges that come with traveling: delays, detours, weather, bad coffee, lack of sleep, lack of sleep (yes, I typed that twice!). Another observation so far is that it is ALL about the music in the end, it is (and can only be) about the wonderful experience of creating music each night because the other things really are quite a challenge to embrace positively all the time. Perhaps that is different for big name artists who have the “machine” behind them: the agent, the manager, the record label etc. I don’t know if I am correct about that but perhaps I am?

In any event after all the many many hours of trying to arrange a tour that is practical and suitable for presenters and for the musicians, there still remains the promotion of appearances in each city, the reaching out to the population to let them know that you are coming to their city or town to perform. How can they come if they don’t know about it? I have a little assistance on this tour in that regard but much of that “reaching out” is what I am doing on my own. In the weeks and months leading up to this tour, there have been disappointments and a  double booking and a few empty dates to fill that left me scrambling but I do believe it will pay off, meaning all the scrambling and reaching out as time-consuming as it has been, the end result will hopefully be some nice sized audiences coming to hear us perform.

As I say it it ALL about the music. No matter how tired I become (and this is only the 1^st part of the tour!) when I do being singing each night, my energy and joy and inspiration return and that is because of the wonderful songs I get to sing and, because of the incredible musicianship of my pianist for this tour: John Roney and both of the cellists who are alternating on this tour: Dominic Painchaud and Bryan Holt. My convictions about choosing the cello as the rhythm section instrument to add in place of the acoustic bass for this project have proven to be correct. The cello is not a bass and yet it plays the role of the bass in many cases not simply because it is playing the lower timbres but becaue it is walking bass lines like a bassist would do and then it also becomes a melodic instrument with the arco method of playing, bow on string, legato, smooth and direct lines. The cello for me has always been one of the most emotional sounding instruments and by that I mean that it causes me to feel a deep emotion of elation or sensitivity or sorrow. This is a good thing so long as it doesn’t make me feel a sorrow so deep that my voice is affected or swept by the emotion.

Pianist John Roney has played with string quartets quite a bit and is very musically adept at making certain suggestions to each of the cellists whereby no one is “walking on the other person” musically speaking.

So at this point of my “Get Out Of Town” tour, I’d have to say I feel a combination of fear of the unknown  regarding who might be there to hear us in each city plus I have a feeling of gratitude due to the fact that I have such great music to sing with musicians willing to go on this journey with me. Since we are a jazz ensemble the music changes every night, even if the songs we present are the same, the end result always changes.

My analogy for this is as follows: baking cookies with a familiar recipe can still result in very different cookies each time depending on what else you decide to add in: chocolate pecans, etc. Playing these songs each night there is the unknown of what will be played in the solos, the unknown of what might take place harmonically or rhythmically if we are each listening carefully and together allowing the tune to grow and change and exist as a new creation each time. Of course some of the ingredients remain intact but there is always a freedom to  improvise witih the recipe and improvising with a recipe is one of my favorite things to do.

Now I will fnish my writing and go back to viewing Ontario’s gorgeous color scheme on this sunny October day…