september/october 2011 - yardbird · pdf fileseptember/october 2011. ... jim black, ben...

Peripheral Vision • May Cheung • John Stetch Trio • Grant Stewart • Darren Sigesmund Sextet Lisa Otey/Diane Van Deurzen • Trio BraamDeJoodeVatcher • Listen Here - The Music Of Eddie Harris

Beat Kaestli • Ari Hoenig 4tet – Lines of Oppression • Mike LeDonne • Music for Jazz Trio and String Quartet : Jan Jarczyk Trio with the Edmonton String Quartet

We Four: Celebrating John Coltrane

Jimmy Cobb: We Four: Celebrating John Coltrane

jazz!September/October 2011

www.yardbirdsuite.com

Yardbird Suite Jazz is a registered trademark of the Edmonton Jazz Society (1973).

Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to:

EDMONTON JAZZ SOCIETY11 TOMMY BANKS WAYEDMONTON AB T6E 2M2

780.432.0428

CANADIAN PUBLICATION MAIL PRODUCT SALES AGREEMENT #40047729

Edmonton Jazz Society’sBoard of Directors

2010•2011Adrian Albert • President

Dave Babcock • Vice PresidentStuart Crosley • Treasurer

Garry Spotowski • Secretary

Board MembersMonique Bielech • Shelley Chebry • Dwayne Hrynkiw

Pam Josey • Wendy Magill • Jasiek PoznanskiFrancis Remedios • Dominique Roy

Yardbird SuitePROGRAMMING • Adrian Albert,

Julie King, Jasiek PoznanskiPRODUCTION • Lisi Sommer

TUESDAY NIGHT SESSIONS • Lindsay WoolgarLITTLEBIRDS DIRECTOR • Joel Gray

JAZZ FOR KIDS DIRECTOR: Audrey OchoaFINANCE • Suzanne Morter

PRESS RELEASES • Trevor MoyerTRANSPORTATION • Alan SpenceHOUSE MANAGER & VOLUNTEER

COORDINATOR • Pam Josey

Our Volunteer House Managers• Luc Bouchard • Sue Cameron • Jan Doll • Bill Hume • Judy Hume • Pam Josey • Tracy Kolenchuk • Trevor Moyer • Marilyn Rude • Collette Slevinsky • Rhonda Smith • Karen Voller • Gail Wozny

Yardbird Suite NewsletterThe Yardbird Newsletter is published fivetimes per year by the Edmonton Jazz Society.

EDITORS • Adrian Albert, Jasiek Poznanski

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS • Adrian Albert, Julie King

ADVERTISING • Shelley Chebry

GRAPHIC DESIGN • Kim Deley, Critical Path Marketing Communications

DISTRIBUTION • Monique Bielech,Shelley Chebry, Bill Harper

PRINTING • ION Print Solutions Inc.

TicketsTickets for Yardbird Suite shows are available at Ticketmaster and at the door on the night of the performance.

www.ticketmaster.ca

Peripheral VisionPeripheral Vision is one of the most exciting

and innovative jazz quartets to have recently

appeared on the international jazz scene. The

creative leaders of the group are long time

musical collaborators, guitarist Don Scott and

bassist Michael Herring. They have assembled

a synergistic musical unit designed to push the

boundaries of jazz while engaging the listener

with a grooving, toe-tapping immediacy. You

can hear the influences of the classic 1960’s

era of jazz - Wayne Shorter, Booker Little,

Charles Mingus - mixed with the modern New

York scene - David Binney, Chris Potter, Kurt

Rosenwinkel, Dave Douglas, along with hints of

Radiohead, reggae and electronica.

Peripheral Vision is releasing its second album,

Spectacle: Live!, with a Western Canadian

tour this fall. It was recorded at the Cellar in

Vancouver during the CD release tour for their

eponymous debut album. Scott and Herring

are joined by saxophonist Trevor Hogg and

drummer Nick Fraser. While the compositions

are Herring and Scott’s, Peripheral Vision is

defined by its group rapport. Bringing back

the anything-is-possible democratic approach

of both 1960’s jazz and garage bands, the

music takes shape as a collective process. This

no-holds-barred philosophy is at the root of

Peripheral Vision’s explosive performances.

Canadian Jazz SerieS

www. yardbirdsuite.com 3

Peripheral Vision Toronto

Don Scott - guitarMichael Herring - bassTrevor Hogg - tenor saxophoneNick Fraser - drums

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2011TICKETS - MEMBERS $16, GUESTS $20DOORS 8 PM - SHOW 9 PM

Artist website:www.peripheralvisionmusic.com

when...

4 September/October 2011

Over the past seven years, Vancouver-raised

May Cheung has been establishing herself

as a versatile jazz vocalist on the Montreal

jazz scene. A graduate of McGill University

in Jazz Voice (2007), May studied with Juno

Award winner Ranee Lee. Hailed as “The Next

Ella Fitzgerald” in the Vancouver Sun (2001),

May’s sound is attributed to an array of jazz

vocalists drawing inspiration from a variety of

music including soul, R&B, classical, folk and

experimental music. In 2007, May shared the

stage with guitarist John Pizzarelli and has

sung extensively across Canada in numerous

cities with her own ensemble. In 2008, May

was invited to participate in a workshop with

Bobby McFerrin through the Kurt Weill Institute

and in 2009, May was awarded a prestigious

study grant from the Canada Council for the

Arts to study with New York Voices leader, Peter

Eldridge.

May Cheung is now based in Brooklyn, New

York where she has quickly become a vocalist/

composer in high demand and a precocious

talent to watch.

Canadian Jazz VoCaliStS SerieS

May Cheung

May Cheung New York/Edmonton/Calgary

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2011TICKETS - MEMBERS $16, GUESTS $20DOORS 8 PM - SHOW 9 PM

May Cheung - vocalsJim Head - guitarMike Lent - bassTyler Hornby – drums

Artist website:http://maycheung.wordpress.com

when...



John Stetch TrioBorn in Edmonton, John Stetch began piano

studies at age 19 after several years of clarinet

and saxophone. Upon graduation from McGill

University, he moved to New York City and later

to upstate New York. Stetch has performed

across Canada, the United States and around

the world. He has released 11 CDs under his

own name, has 5 Juno Award nominations

(Canada), and won the Prix Du Jazz at The

Montreal International Jazz Festival. He has

been frequently recorded by the CBC and NPR

and has appeared on such programs as Marian

McPartland’s Piano Jazz and Weekend Edition

with Leanne Hansen.

Sttech has performed and/or recorded with

many jazz greats such as Rufus Reid, Mark Turner,

Seamus Blake, Jeff Ballard, Jim Black, Ben Street,

Victor Lewis, Charlie Haden, Branford Marsalis

and others. He has recently been collaborating

with classical and world musicians such as Alex

Fiterstein, Sasha Vassiliev, Daniel Binelli, and has

been commissioned to write for The CBC Radio

Orchestra, The Borealis String Quartet and

recently premiered his own Trio for Clarinet,

Cello and Piano.

His latest CD, released in August, 2011, is

entitled “Fabled States” on Addo Records,

funded by The Canada Council For The Arts. It

features 12 original trio compositions by Stetch,

and is assisted by Joe Martin (bass) and Greg

Ritchie (drums). John Stetch is currently based

in Ithaca, NY, and teaches at Cornell University

and Ithaca College.

John Stetch Trio New York/Edmonton

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2011TICKETS - MEMBERS $16, GUESTS $20DOORS 7:30 PM - SHOW 8 PM

John Stetch - pianoJoe Martin - bassGreg Ritchie - drums

Artist website:www.johnstetch.com

when...

Notice of Annual General MeetingNotice is hereby given that the annual general meeting of members of the Edmonton Jazz Society (1973) will be held at the Yardbird Suite, 11 Tommy Banks Way, Edmonton, Alberta, on Wednesday, October 26th at 7:00 PM for the purpose of:

1. Receiving the report of the president; 2. Receiving and considering the report of the treasurer of the Society for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2011 including the appointment of the auditors for the coming year; 3. Election of the board of directors and officers of the Society; 4. The transition of such further business as may properly come before the meeting or any adjournment thereof.

Further information regarding the business to be discussed at the annual general meeting can be obtained by contacting the Yardbird Suite at telephone 780-432-0428. Dated at the city of Edmonton, in the Province of Alberta, this first day of September, 2011.


September, 2011, marks twenty years since

Miles Davis passed away. To commemorate

this anniversary, The Yardbird Suite All-Stars are

presenting two of his most important recorded

works, “Birth of the Cool” recorded in 1949-1950

and “Sketches of Spain” recorded in 1959. Miles

collaborated with the brilliant Canadian arranger

Gil Evans on both of these projects.

“Birth of the Cool” was a pivotal moment in jazz,

marrying the elasticity of bop with skilful big band

arrangements and a relaxed, subdued mood. The

sound was intimate with a hip, detached elegance.

Davis’ nine piece band included luminaries such as

Kai Winding, Gerry Mulligan, Lee Konitz and Max

Roach.

“Sketches of Spain” is one of Miles’ most enduring

and innovative accomplishments. Gil Evans

arranged the album’s signature piece “Concierto

de Aranjuez” for an orchestra and jazz band and

then he and Miles created an entire album around

it featuring Paul Chambers, Jimmy Cobb and

Elvin Jones. It is the most luxuriant and stridently

romantic recording Miles ever made.

BeSt of alBerta Jazz

Yardbird Suite All-Stars:Miles Davis/Gil Evans: Birth of the Cool/Sketches of Spain

Yardbird Suite All-StarsMiles Davis/Gil Evans: Birth of the Cool/Sketches of Spain Calgary/Edmonton

FRIDAY-SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23-24, 2011TICKETS - MEMBERS $24, GUESTS $28DOORS 8 PM - SHOW 9 PM

Rubim de Toledo - bassDave Babcock - saxophonesJim Brenan - saxophonesBob Tildesley - trumpetCraig Brenan - tromboneMary Fearon - French hornAlden Lowry - tuba, tromboneChris Andrew - pianoJamie Cooper - drumsRay Baril - saxophonesDoug Berner - trumpet

when...


Jammin’

tuesday night sessions

TICKETS AT THE DOOR - MEMBERS & GUESTS $5DOORS 7:30 PM - SHOW 8 PM

September 20Kent Sangster Quartet

Kent Sangster - saxophoneJim Head - guitarJeff Johnson - bassSandro Dominelli - drums

September 27Dave Morgan Quintet

Dave Morgan - trumpetCraig Brenan - trombone Paul Richey - pianoBrayden Wise - bassJamie Cooper - drums

October 4Jeff Hendrick Quartet

Jeff Hendrick - vocals and saxophoneChris Andrew - pianoMoni Mathew - bassBill George - drums

October 11Don Berner Quartet

Don Berner - saxophoneChris Andrew - pianoMike Lent - bassSandro Dominelli - drums

October 18Andrew Glover Quartet

Andrew Glover - pianoBob Tildesley - trumpetMike Lent - bassSandro Dominelli - drums

October 25Jerrold Dubyk Quartet

Jerrold Dubyk - saxophoneChris Andrew - pianoJosh McHan - bass,Andrew Miller - drums


Born in Toronto in 1971, Grant Stewart was exposed to the music of Charlie Parker, Wardell

Gray and Coleman Hawkins by his father, a high school English teacher and semiprofessional

guitarist. It was through these early experiences and his father’s encouragement that

Stewart first developed a strong ear for melody, style, and improvisation. He began with the

alto saxophone at age 10, began playing professionally with his teacher Pete Schofield in

Schofield’s Big Band. At 17 he switched to the tenor saxophone and was soon playing with

such master saxophonists as Pat La Barbera and Bob Mover. Stewart considers Mover to be

one of his greatest teachers and among his strongest influences along with Sonny Rollins,

John Coltrane, Don Byas, and Lester Young.

Since moving to New York City at the age of 19,

Stewart has studied with such masters as Donald Byrd,

Barry Harris, and Joe Lovano, and performed with

Curtis Fuller, John Hendricks, Clark Terry, Etta Jones, Bill

Charlap, Bob Mover, Brad Mehldau, Russell Malone,

Larry Goldings, Peter Bernstein, Jimmy Cobb, Harry

Connick, Mickey Roker, Cecil Payne, Dick Hyman, Herb

Geller and was a member of the last Al Grey Sextet.

Stewart can be found playing at many New York clubs,

particularly Smalls Jazz Club. Stewart has performed

all over North America, Europe and throughout the

world. He was also one of the first jazz artists to be

invited to play at the historical Hermitage Museum in

St. Petersburg, Russia. In addition Grant was a featured

artist at the Guggenheim Museums’ Jazz series with

his trio including drum legend Jimmy Cobb.

Stewart has numerous recordings as a leader,

many on the Sharp Nine and Criss Cross labels.

His two most recent CDs are “Grant Stewart Plays

the Music of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn

released in 2009 and “Around the Corner”

released in 2010.

Grant’s tenor sound is borne of the jazz of the

1950s and 1960s but played with a contemporary

élan. He has a huge sound and a creative and

beautiful melodic sense. Jimmy Cobb calls him

“one of my favorite players in the world.” For his

Yardbird Suite debut, Stewart will be joined by

Tommy Banks, Mike Lent and Sandro Dominelli.


Grant Stewart

Grant Stewart New York/Edmonton

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2011TICKETS - MEMBERS $20, GUESTS $24DOORS 7:30 PM - SHOW 8 PM

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2011TICKETS - MEMBERS $22, GUESTS $26DOORS 8 PM - SHOW 9 PM

Grant Stewart - saxophoneTommy Banks - pianoMike Lent - bassSandro Dominelli – drums

Artist website:www.grantstewartjazz.com

when...


Grant Stewart


2010 JUNO nominee and Galaxie Rising Star

winner Toronto trombonist Darren Sigesmund

has firmly established his Strands project as one

of Canada’s leading national and international

touring ensembles. Following up his 2008 debut

quintet CD Strands, Darren has released Strands

II, nominated for a 2010 JUNO for Best Traditional

Jazz Album. Sigesmund received the 2010 Galaxie

Rising Star award for Best Composition (“Dance

for Leila”) at the Festival International de Jazz

de Montreal. Acclaimed for its compositional

ingenuity, the Strands project consists of

Sigesmund’s self-penned compositions, a

contemporary blend of jazz, Latin and classical

influences.

Darren has led his Strands project across the

globe regularly since 2003, including concerts

throughout Europe, Asia, Australia and Canada.

He has studied and performed at the

internationally renowned Jazz Workshop at

the Banff Centre for the Arts with acclaimed

artists such as Dave Holland, Kenny Wheeler,

Julian Priester, Richie Beirach, Dave Liebman,

Steve Coleman, Don Thompson, Pat LaBarbera,

and Hugh Fraser. A graduate of the University

of Toronto’s Jazz Performance Program, Darren

currently teaches at Humber College and

privately.

For this tour, Sigesmund’s group includes the

sensational vocalist Eliana Cuevas as well as four

of the west coast’s most dynamic jazz musicians in

Phil Dwyer, Brad Turner, Ken Lister and Jesse Cahill.


Darren Sigesmund Sextet

Darren Sigesmund SextetToronto/Vancouver

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2011TICKETS - MEMBERS $20, GUESTS $24DOORS 8 PM - SHOW 9 PM

Darren Sigesmund - tromboneEliana Cuevas - vocalsPhil Dwyer - saxophoneBrad Turner - trumpetKen Lister - bassJesse Cahill - drums

Artist website:www.darrensigesmund.ca

when...



YardBird SUite BlUeS

Tunnel Six

Lisa Otey and Diane Van Deurzen are a dynamic duo, a perfect blend of hot jazz, sultry blues and cabaret. They take their act all over the US and Mexico and to festivals, clubs and theatres across Europe.

Lisa is a high-powered piano player whose music is a mixture of jazz, blues and boogie-woogie. She previously played at the Yardbird Suite to sell out crowds. She has released 12 CDs of her own, and was inducted into the Tucson Music Hall of Fame, the Arizona Blues Hall of Fame and has appeared on the Grammy-nominated CD, “Ladies Man”, with Pinetop Perkins.

Everywhere Diane performs, she receives rave reviews and standing ovations for her angelic voice. Whether she is singing a heartbreaking ballad or a bluesy swing number, she puts herself into every note, creating an intimacy with the audience with her warm, precise phrasing.

Diane and Lisa have co-produced several CDs on their label, Owl’s Nest Productions, including Diane’s debut CD, “I Never Knew” (2006), Lisa’s “Trio” CD, “Bring Your Own Boa” ( Lisa Otey and the Desert Divas), and Diane & Lisa’s duo CDs, “Wild Women” (2009) and “Meet Me Under the Mistletoe”(2010), a jazzy collection of Christmas favorites.

Lisa Otey/Diane Van DeurzenTucson, Arizona

FRIDAY-SATURDAY, OCTOBER 7-8, 2011TICKETS - MEMBERS $16, GUESTS $20DOORS 8 PM - SHOW 9 PM

Lisa Otey - piano, vocalsDiane Van Deurzen – vocals

Artist website:www.lisaotey.comwww.dianevandeurzen.com

when...

Lisa Otey/Diane Van Deurzen

“Whenever these two artists perform together, people comment on their easy rapport and emotional connection. Otey’s piano and vocals are hot and steamy. Van Deurzen sings sweetly. Together they blend like a musical cappuccino with extra foam on top.”

~ Chuck Graham, Tucson Citizen

Trio BraamDeJoodeVatcher comprises three

of the Dutch jazz scene’s most idiosyncratic

musicians, for whom freedom and adventure

are essential values. They all play an absolutely

equal role in the music, which can go in any which

way, depending on decisions made on the spot.

The long musical friendship (since 1989) results

in intuitive playing of the highest order. The trio

shines in short powerful pieces, honoring the jazz

tradition by pushing it ahead with consummate,

dazzling skill. The trio combines a playful

incorporation and expansion of older forms with

a great adventurousness.

In 2009 they released ‘Trio BraamDeJoodeVatcher

Quartet’. For this project, they invited a different

guest musician for each piece. Francois Houle,

Fred Anderson, Paul Dunmall, Taylor Ho Bynum,

Mats Gustafsson, and Nils Wogram were some of

the special guests. Much of the material on this

double CD is quite accessible, demonstrating the

trio’s knowledge of the jazz tradition.

The trio has toured throughout Europe, the

United States, Canada, and elsewhere. They have

performed at festivals worldwide.


Trio BraamDeJoodeVatcher Amsterdam

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2011 TICKETS - MEMBERS $16, GUESTS $20DOORS 7:30 PM - SHOW 8 PM

Michiel Braam - pianoWilbert De Joode - bassMichael Vatcher – drums

Artist website:www.michielbraam.com

when...

international Jazz SerieS

Trio BraamDeJoodeVatcher

“Trio BraamDeJoodeVatcher is one of Europe’s strongest groups, due in no small part to Braam’s excellent composing.”

~ Andrey Henkin, All About Jazz


Listen Here - The Music Of Eddie Harrisby Steve Huey, allmusic.com

Long underrated in the pantheon of jazz greats, Eddie Harris was an eclectic and imaginative saxophonist whose career was marked by a hearty appetite for experimentation. For quite some time, he was far more popular with audiences than with critics, many of whom denigrated him for his more commercially successful ventures. Harris’ tastes ranged across the spectrum of black music, not all of which was deemed acceptable by jazz purists. He had the chops to handle technically demanding bop and the restraint to play in the cool-toned West Coast style. He also delved into crossover-friendly jazz-pop and rock and funk-influenced fusion. With the passage of time, the excellence of his best work has become abundantly clear. Harris’ accomplishments are many: he was the first jazz artist to release a gold-selling record, thanks to 1961’s hit adaptation of the “Exodus” movie theme; he was universally acknowledged as the best player of the electric Varitone sax, as heard on his hit 1967 album The Electrifying Eddie Harris; he was an underrated composer whose “Freedom Jazz Dance” was turned into a standard by Miles Davis; he even invented his own instruments by switching brass and reed mouthpieces. Plus, his 1969 set with Les McCann at the Montreux Jazz Festival was released as Swiss Movement became one of the biggest-selling jazz albums of all time.

Harris was born in Chicago on October 20, 1934. He landed his first professional job as a pianist, backing saxman Gene Ammons, and got the chance to sit in with greats like Charlie Parker and Lester Young. After military service and some time spent in New York, Harris returned to Chicago in 1960 and soon signed with the successful, locally-based Vee Jay label, which was better known for its R&B and blues acts. Although the label signed Harris as a pianist, he played only tenor sax on his first album, 1961’s Exodus to Jazz. The key track was “Exodus,” Harris’ easygoing rearrangement of Ernest Gold’s theme from the epic Biblical film of the same name. Released as a single in a shortened

version, it climbed into the lower reaches of the pop Top 40 pushing the LP all the way to number two on the pop album charts. Exodus to Jazz became the first jazz album ever certified gold.

Many critics lambasted Harris for his commercial success, overlooking his very real talent. Harris switched record labels to Atlantic in 1965 and promptly rejuvenated his jazz credentials with The In Sound, a classic, fairly straight-ahead bop album that introduced his original “Freedom Jazz Dance” (later covered by Miles Davis on the classic Miles Smiles). 1967’s The Electrifying Eddie Harris, a bluesy, funky soul-jazz classic marked Harris as one of the very few sax players to develop a distinctive, personal style on the electric Varitone sax. The tune “Listen Here” from that album gave Harris a second major hit single.

In 1969, Harris joined pianist Les McCann’s regular group at the Montreux Jazz Festival. Despite a complete lack of rehearsal time together, the on-

BeSt of alBerta Jazz

Edmonton/Calgary

FRIDAY-SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14-15, 2011 TICKETS - MEMBERS $14, GUESTS $18DOORS 8 PM - SHOW 9 PM

Dave Babcock - tenor saxophoneBob Tildesley - trumpetJim Head - guitarChris Andrew - keyboardsRubim deToledo - bassJamie Cooper – drums

Artist website:www.eddieharris.com

when...continued on page 16

Beat Kaestli is an internationally acclaimed

vocalist, songwriter, arranger and producer. In

1993 he moved from Switzerland to New York,

leaving behind a promising singing career in his

homeland, and was awarded a scholarship to

the Manhattan School of Music. While honing his

craft alongside noteworthy jazz performers such

as Jane Monheit, Jason Moran and Stefon Harris,

he immersed himself in Manhattan’s fiercely

competitive music scene, emerging as a seasoned

performer. He now appears in major New York

clubs such as The Blue Note, Birdland, The Bitter

End, The Jazz Standard and The Stone, performing

with jazz greats like Esperanza Spalding, Jon

Hendricks, Gregoire Maret, Joel Frahm and Billy

Drummond.

In 2005, Beat was the chosen vocalist for the

Glenn Miller Orchestra, thrilling audiences in

concert halls across the USA. Since the release of

his acclaimed CD “Happy, Sad and Satisfied” in

2006, he has toured the world extensively with his

own projects, showcasing his music in renowned

clubs and at festivals across the US, Europe,

Mexico, Central America and Canada. In 2007 he

earned the Ella Fitzgerald Foundation Scholarship

to complete his Masters Degree from the Aaron

Copland School of Music which was followed by

the release of his lauded 2009 European song

tribute Far From Home. 2010 was highlighted by

his major Jazz label debut Invitation, an eclectic

array of American standards.


international Jazz VoCaliStS SerieS

Beat Kaestli New York/Seattle/Edmonton

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2011 TICKETS - MEMBERS $18, GUESTS $22DOORS 8 PM - SHOW 9 PM

Beat Kaestli - vocalsBill Anschell - pianoJohn Taylor - bassJamie Cooper – drums

Artist website:www.beatkaestli.com

when...Beat Kaestli


Ari Hoenig 4tet – Lines of Oppression

Ari Hoenig 4tet New York

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2011 TICKETS - MEMBERS $22, GUESTS $26DOORS 8 PM - SHOW 9 PM

Gilad Hekselman - guitarTigran Hamasyan - pianoChris Tordini - bassAri Hoenig – drums

Artist website:www.arihoenig.com

when...


Ari Hoenig is a jazz drummer, composer and educator

known for his unusual and intense approach to

drumming emphasizing complex rhythms in direct

harmony with other group members. He is widely

noted for his drumming not being relegated to just

keeping tempo, or being a side issue to the music

he plays, but rather for elevating drumming as an

indispensable part of the performance. Hoenig is also

known for his unique ability to modify the pitch of a

drum by using drum sticks, mallets, and even parts of

his body (such as his hands and elbows). Using this

technique, he can play any note in the chromatic scale,

virtually any melody, and even improvise on a chord

structure in the same way as any other instrumentalist

would. Anyone who saw Ari with the James Farm

group at the 2010 Edmonton International Jazz

Festival can attest to these qualities.

Hoenig was born into a family of classically trained

musicians, his father being a choral conductor and his

mother a violinist. He was exposed to classical and folk

music at an early age. He played both piano and violin

as a child, then rock and metal drums as a teen before

settling into jazz and improvised music. Ari is also

now an educator, currently on the faculty of the New

School for Social Research at New York University. He

has authored various jazz education books and DVDs.

Since moving to New York in the mid-1990s, he

has worked with a variety of performers including

Jean Michel Pilc, Kenny Werner, Chris Potter, Kurt

Rosenwinkel, Joshua Redman, Mike Stern, Pat Martino

and Dave Liebman.

Amongst his many musical activities, he currently

leads three groups, a trio, a group called Punk Bop

which has recorded for Dreyfus Records and for the

Smalls Live label, and the Ari Hoenig 4tet which is

the group performing at the Yardbird Suite on this

occasion. Hoenig has released several albums since

2000, the most recent being the quartet’s 2011 album

called “Lines of Oppression” on the Naïve label. This

disc has been very well-received by the jazz press.

Mike LeDonne’s parents ran a music store, his father also being a jazz guitarist. When he was 14 years old, his father bought him his first Hammond B-3 organ, an instrument Mike describes as “having the soul built right in”. After graduating from the New England Conservatory of Music, he moved to New York City where he worked with many of the masters of jazz history - Benny Goodman, Sonny Rollins, Bobby Hutcherson, Art Farmer, Dizzy Gillespie, and others. In 1988 he had his recording debut and joined Milt Jackson’s Quartet. He performed with Jackson’s band for eleven years and eventually became the quartet’s musical director. He has worked with Benny Golson since 1996 as well as performing under his own name all over the world. He has a long-standing weekly gig at Smoke in New York.

Although he was originally known mainly as a pianist with a number of recordings on the Criss Cross and Double Time labels, several of his recent recordings on the Savant label feature his brilliant and energetic Hammond B3 organ playing. Now recognized as one of the best jazz organists in the Downbeat Critics’ Poll, he has been praised by luminaries such as Oscar Peterson who described his as “one of the most promising and talented pianists of this era.”

His playing reflects a love for both bop and soul jazz accentuating his impressive chops. There is substance and depth in LeDonne’s musicality while avoiding overt funk, making for a style that will please both mainstream jazz lovers and baby boomers.

For this two night gig at the Yardbird Suite, Mike LeDonne will be joined by three of Vancouver’s finest in saxophonist Cory Weeds, guitarist Oliver Gannon and drummer Jesse Cahill. Much of their program will feature the music of Hank Mobley. Perhaps most exciting, these concerts will be recorded for future release.


Mike LeDonne New York/Vancouver

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2011 TICKETS - MEMBERS $18, GUESTS $22DOORS 7:30 PM - SHOW 8 PM

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2011TICKETS - MEMBERS $20, GUESTS $24DOORS 8 PM - SHOW 9 PM

Mike LaDonne - organ and pianoOliver Gannon - guitarCory Weeds - saxophoneJesse Cahill – drums

when...

CroSS Border Jazz

Mike LeDonne

stage chemistry was immediate, and the gig was released as the LP Swiss Movement, credited to McCann and Harris. Paced by the hit singles “Compared to What” and “Cold Duck Time,” Swiss Movement became one of the biggest-selling jazz albums of all time. He recorded a number of albums throughout the 1970s for Atlantic. Over the course of the ‘80s and ‘90s, he recorded mostly for small labels like Steeple Chase, Enja, Timeless, and Flying Heart, among others. These albums found Harris returning to traditional hard bop, generally in acoustic quartet settings. He made his final studio recordings in the mid-’90s, and was forced to stop performing by the combined effects of bone cancer and kidney disease. He passed away in Los Angeles on November 5, 1996.

continued from page 13


The musical meeting of a jazz trio and a

string quartet goes back to our musical

roots, transcending time and generations.

This project presents the tradition as well as

our contemporary times in a unique musical

moment where folk, jazz and classical sounds are

harmonized.

The repertoire of this concert is made up

of beautiful folk melodies which go back in

history to the medieval times. Today, through

this performance, we rediscover their renewed

lyric aspect. Through its faithful harmony and

counterpoint, the string quartet follows tradition

while the jazz rhythm reinvents the happy

hythmic and melancholy melodies. Served by

his classical and jazz training, Jan Jarczyk his own

compositions like “ Round, round and round”

that he describes as a music that recalls our own

origins.

Born in Poland, Jan Jarczyk has lived in North

America since 1977. He taught harmony and

composition at the Berklee College of Music in

the 1980s. For many years, he has divided his time

between composing, performing and attending

to his teaching duties as Professor at McGill

University Shulich School of Music.

He is a highly-regarded composer, having

written music ranging from solo pieces to full-

sized symphony orchestras. His work has been

performed throughout the world. Since 1994

he has recorded numerous CDs in Montreal

as pianist, leader and arranger-composer. Mr.

Jarczyk has composed music for The Polish Jazz

Studio Orchestra, Polish TV and radio as well as

for theatre and film in Poland and North America.

Recipient of the Polish Composers Society Annual

Scholarship in 1969-71, Mr. Jarczyk also won the

Grand Prix of the Concours d’improvisation de

piano jazz in Lyon, France in 1974 and the SOCAN

award for Best Jazz Composition during the

Montreal Jazz Festival in 1999.


Music for Jazz Trio and String QuartetJan Jarczyk Trio with the Edmonton String Quartet

Montreal/Edmonton

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2011 TICKETS - MEMBERS $20, GUESTS $24DOORS 8 PM - SHOW 9 PM

Jan Jarczyk - pianoMorgan Moore - bassJim Doxas - drums

Edmonton String Quartet led by Mark Fewer

when...


Four jazz luminaries, including NEA Jazz Master and “Kind of Blue”

drummer Jimmy Cobb, join together to lovingly pay tribute to John

Coltrane and the music of his time. Coltrane created some of the

most innovative and expressive music in jazz history and We Four will

explore many of these “classic tunes” including “Impressions,” “Giant

Steps,” “Mr. PC,” “Naima,” “Central Park West,” “Fifth House,” “Like Sonny,”

“Blues to Elvin,” and “Countdown” in addition to original material

inspired by John Coltrane.

We Four is a new band of esteemed New York jazz players, all of whom

feel a special connection to John Coltrane. The band is composed of

tenor saxophonist Javon Jackson, pianist Mulgrew

Miller, bassist Nat Reeves and drummer Jimmy

Cobb. In point of fact, only Jimmy has

zero degrees of separation from Coltrane,

as he famously played with him in the


We Four: Celebrating John Coltrane


We Four: Celebrating John Coltrane New York

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2011 Two Shows:

DOORS 7:30 PM - SHOW 8:00 PMTICKETS - MEMBERS $16, GUESTS $20

DOORS 9:15 PM - SHOW 9:30 PMTICKETS - MEMBERS $16, GUESTS $20

Javon Jackson - tenor saxophoneMulgrew Miller - pianoJimmy Cobb - drumsNat Reeves – bass

www.jimmycobb.com

when...

Miles Davis bands of the late ‘50s and early ‘60s.

Jimmy’s inspirational work with Miles, John

Coltrane, Cannonball Adderley and company

spanned 1958 until 1962, and included the

masterpiece recording Kind of Blue, the most

popular jazz recording in history. He also played

on Sketches of Spain, Someday My Prince Will

Come, Live at Carnegie Hall, Live at the Blackhawk,

Porgy and Bess, and many, many other watermark

Miles Davis recordings, as well as other dates with

leaders Coltrane, Adderley, and Kenny Burrell.

Jimmy is still going strong at 82 with Miles and

Coltrane tribute bands and his own group dates.

Javon Jackson rose to prominence as an Art

Blakey Jazz Messenger and has played with

others connected to Coltrane, including drummer

Elvin Jones, and bassists Ron Carter and Richard

Davis. Javon is a fluent improviser who carries the

standard proudly.

Mulgrew Miller, like John Coltrane, is a deeply

spiritual man and a superb pianist who was

mentored by a Jazz Messenger pianist, James

Williams. He played in Tony Williams’ band for six

years, so you know that he can bring it. Mulgrew

has golden fingers and can swing you to death.

Nat Reeves has been influenced by bassists such

as Sam Jones, Paul Chambers and Ron Carter. His

two longest-standing performing colleagues are

Kenny Garrett and the late Jackie McLean. For

the past decade, Reeves has been focusing on

his career as an educator at the Jackie McLean

Institute of Jazz in Connecticut.

october

September 16Peripheral VisionMembers $16, Guests $20

September 17May CheungMembers $16, Guests $20

September 18John Stetch TrioMembers $16, Guests $20Doors 7:30pm - Show 8pm

September 23-24Yardbird Suite All-StarsMiles Davis/Gil Evans: Birth of the Cool/Sketches of SpainMembers $24, Guests $28

September 29Grant StewartMembers $20, Guests $24Doors 7:30pm - Show 8pm

September 30Grant StewartMembers $22, Guests $26

October 1Darren Sigesmund SextetMembers $20, Guests $24

October 7-8Lisa Otey/Diane Van DeurzenMembers $16, Guests $20

October 13Trio BraamDeJoodeVatcherMembers $16, Guests $20

October 14-15Listen Here - The Music Of Eddie HarrisMembers $14, Guests $18

October 21Beat KaestliMembers $18, Guests $22

October 22Ari Hoenig 4tet – Lines of OppressionMembers $22, Guests $26

October 27Mike LeDonneMembers $18, Guests $22Doors 7:30pm - Show 8pm

October 28Mike LeDonneMembers $20, Guests $24

October 29Music for Jazz Trio and String Quartet: Jan Jarczyk Triowith the Edmonton String QuartetMembers $20, Guests $24

October 30We Four: Celebrating John Coltrane

Doors 7:30pm - Show 8pmMembers $16, Guests $20

Doors 9:15pm - Show 9:30pmMembers $16, Guests $20

EDMONTON JAZZ SOCIETY11 TOMMY BANKS WAY(Corner of 102 St & 86 Ave)EDMONTON AB T6E 2M2

PM40047729

Friday & Saturday Shows: Doors at 8pm • Show 9pm unless otherwise stated.

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september/october 2011 - yardbird · pdf fileseptember/october 2011. ... jim black, ben...

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