The Live Music Report
June 2006 |
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| Toronto Jazz Festival |
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| The Robi Botos Trio |
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...At all times the trio maintained close eye contact and we can only guess at the degree of instant invention that we were witnessing...
> report |
| by Dave Barnes, Paul J. Youngman & Roger Humbert |
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| Molly Johnson & Quartet |
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...Molly may have hinted that rehearsals were few for the new tunes but there was little evidence of this...
> report |
| by Dave Barnes, Paul J. Youngman & Roger Humbert |
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| Bernard Primeau Jazz Ensemble |
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...At one point, "Caravan" was all antiphonal honks and squeals with a persistently rocking rhythm underneath...
> report |
| by David Fujino & Roger Humbert |
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| Mingus Big Band |
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...It takes a special kind of cool to navigate these complexly arranged charts at a blistering pace and still look completely relaxed about it...
> report |
| by Dave Barnes & Roger Humbert |
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| Marcus Miller |
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...Miller bestrides the stage, porkpie hat in place, taking full command of the audience. This kind of inspired theatrics on-the-fly requires star quality...
> report |
| by Dave Barnes & Roger Humbert |
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| Maple Blues Revue |
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...The day I don’t respond to “Flip, Flop and Fly” that’ll be the day that...
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| by Joyce Corbett & Dougal Bichan |
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| Andy Bey Duo |
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...Andy Bey's often horn-like phrasing kept exploring harmony and rhythms with the inquisitiveness of a bop musician...
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| by David Fujino |
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| Charlie Hunter | Christian McBride | DJ Logic |
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...watching the younger crowd you would wonder if you were at a metal concert. The arms were thrashing and the heads were lurching....
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| by Sue Bullas & Roger Humbert |
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| Etta James |
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...She proceeded to show the audience that she could still work a room, work her magic and displayed some of the brilliance...
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| by Paul J. Youngman & Dougal Bichan |
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| Joost Buis and the Astronotes |
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...they brought us a taste of the Dutch jazz scene, mostly bright and always interesting, full of subtleties, of intensity and strategic spaces...
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| by Joyce Corbett & Roger Humbert |
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| Richard Galliano Trio |
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...If your exposure to accordion has been limited to the droning variety you could be excused in allocating accordion and bagpipes to the same space...
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| by Dave Barnes |
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| John MacLeod Big Band |
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...this big band entered swinging, with a long-limbed blues feeling running throughout a lot of the tunes...
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| by David Fujino & Roger Humbert |
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| John Zorn Acoustic Masada |
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...an intense, high-velocity piece featuring frequent fits and starts, high register saxophone squeaks, rising trumpet lines, throaty bursts...
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| by Joyce Corbett & Roger Humbert |
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| Marcus Belgrave |
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...what better way to end the night than with a night cap at a nearby club featuring trumpet master Marcus Belgrave and his quartet? ...
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| by Paul J. Youngman |
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| Maceo Parker |
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...Great showmen can work a crowd but the crowd and the band were working each other under the big top in the rain Wednesday night...
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| by Sue Bullas & Roger Humbert |
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| Vijay Iyer |
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...Iyer's piano playing was an impressionistic ebb and flow, and his left hand sounded deep pedal points that made you think of Alice Coltrane...
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| by David Fujino, Paul J. Youngman & Roger Humbert |
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| McCoy Tyner Septet |
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...Instead of a 'storming the ramparts' approach, McCoy began easily with "Trane Ride", a medium tempo tune that resembled, to these ears, "Speak Low"...
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| by David Fujino, Paul J. Youngman & Roger Humbert |
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| Lori Cullen |
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...In the best spirit of singers before her, she has mastered the exorcising of bad-times demons through song...
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| by Dave Barnes & Dougal Bichan |
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| Roberto Occhipinti Quintet |
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...Roberto was busy holding down the fort, admirably, solid but never stolid, watching his composition, this creation of his...
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| by Joyce Corbett & Roger Humbert |
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| Paquito D'Rivera Quintet |
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...A master of the saxophone with a clear, clean sound, he tends to stay within the higher register of the tenor with only brief forays into the lower...
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| by Joyce Corbett & Roger Humbert |
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| Seu Jorge |
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...The first song started like a locomotive chugging up a mountain, a constant throbbing and sensual sound was produced...
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| by Paul J. Youngman & Dougal Bichan |
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Our coverage of the
2006 Toronto Jazz Festival
continued in
> July <
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| Concerts |
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| The Sun Ra Arkestra |
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...Friday’s performance was a master feast for all senses. Sun Ra is smiling down from Saturn and laughing proud...
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| by Tom Sekowski |
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| The Music of Iannis Xenakis |
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...but to these ears, Xenakis' music is important because it dramatically gives form to the throes of civilization in the 20th century and postmodern eras...
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| by David Fujino |
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| DK Ibomeka | Love Stories |
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The perfect recipe for a CD release party: an intimate setting, a wine tasting, good food and lovely people. This is exactly...
> report |
| by Sue Bullas & Roger Humbert |
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| Amanda Martinez | Sola |
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...Amanda’s voice comes in as sure and steady as the advancing rhythm. We are immersed in the thrill of the song...
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| by Joyce Corbett & Roger Humbert |
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| The Cat Empire |
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...The crowd had a deep and abiding love for these guys, having a good time and enjoying the music at hand, swaying as a mass, jumping to the beat...
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| by Sue Bullas |
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| Festivals |
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| Chicago’s 23nd Annual Blues Festival |
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...Blues enthusiasts attended the festival over four days in Grant Park enjoying the music, food...
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| by Gloria Ellis |
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