Duke Ellington's Sacred Music

In his autobiography Music Is My Mistress speaking about his Concert of Sacred Music Duke Ellington stated "I regard this concert as the most important thing that I have ever done." From the date of the first performance in September of 1965, Duke Ellington traveled the world performing what eventually became three Sacred Concerts but to date, there has never been a performance of Duke Ellington's Concert of Sacred Music in Western Canada. This coming Friday November 20th, that is about to be rectified. A very special gathering of forces and talents will converge to present Duke Ellington's Sacred Music in a fitting benefit for the work of The First United Church. Arranger, bandleader and Ducal scholar Fred Stride has previously presented major Ellington works such as Black, Brown and Beige and Such Suite Thunder. This time The Fred Stride Jazz Orchestra joins forces with outstanding vocalists Dee Daniels and James Caddell, the Phoenix Chamber Choir and dancer Troy McLaughlin to present an evening of Sacred Music drawn principally from the First and Second Sacred Concerts. Since 1989, the lucky people of Seattle have had regular presentations of the Sacred Music of Duke Ellington courtesy of the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra. In recent years, the featured vocal soloists for many of those performances have been Dee Daniels and James Caddell so they've been living and breathing this music for some time. How much so can be predicted from their performances on a fabulous recording of The Sacred Music of Duke Ellington preserved from a number of concerts by the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra and released on Seattle's own Origin Records. (With any luck, there may be some for sale at the concert.) The fact that this music had never been heard live in Vancouver bothered Dee Daniels and as a result of a chance comment from the stage at a (then) Festival Vancouver performance of the music of Duke Ellington, the wheels started to turn. As she has said, "It has been my dream to bring this great music to Vancouver for a very long time. Thanks to the talents of Fred Stride, my musical partner in this venture, the help of a group of extremely talented musicians and performers, along with co-presenters Coastal Jazz and First United Church, this dream will finally come true." Those familiar with the Sacred Concerts know that an important part of the performance is the figurative and literal tap-dancing in several of the pieces as arranged for this concert by Troy McLaughlin. And of course, the proceeds of the concert are for the benefit of the good work of the First United Church you can enjoy the performance and feel good about doing something for the less fortunate at the same time! The program here in Vancouver is drawn principally from the First and Second Sacred Concerts and includes: In The Beginning God, The Shepherd, Ain’t But The One, Heaven, Don’t Get Down On Your Knees To Pray, David Danced Before The Lord, It’s Freedom, The Biggest and Busiest Intersection, Tell Me It’s The Truth, Lord’s Prayer, Ninety-Nine Percent, Come Sunday, and Praise God And Dance. The Jazz Orchestra under the direction of Fred Stride includes: Saxophones: Jens Christiansen (lead alto saxophone/clarinet), Aaron Hardie (alto saxophone/clarinet), Bill Runge (tenor saxophone), Steve Kaldestad (tenor saxophone) & Chad Makela (baritone saxophone) Trumpets: Kent Wallace (lead), Vince Mai, Brad Turner, Tom Shorthouse Trombones: Dennis Esson (lead), Rod Murray, Jeremy Berkman Piano: Ross Taggart Bass: Andre Lachance Drums: Bernie Arai As Duke Ellington said, "Each man prays in his own language and there is no language that God does not understand." Presented this Friday November 20th 8 PM at St. Andrew's Wesley Church More information at Coastal Jazz & Blues Society and The First United Church.

James Danderfer interview

Vancouver clarinetist James Danderfer left for Montreal about a week ago to participate in McGill's Jazz Studies Program. Guy MacPherson interviewed Danderfer a few days before his departure. James Danderfer interview Post comments in the Jazz Forum

Student and musician rate (limited seats)

DR.LONNIE SMITH TRIO feat. GUITARIST PETER BERNSTEIN and drummer BILL STEWART will be at The Cellar on September 11th to 13th. We have announced 10 discount tickets per night for students and musicians. The price is $29.99 (tax and gratuity is extra) and that includes both sets of music and a two course meal. Tickets can be purchased by calling The Cellar at 604.738.1959 or emailing at reservations@cellarjazz.com Please note a non refundable deposit of $20 will be taken at time of reservation. No exception and once these seats are gone they are gone!

Len Dobbin passes

Len Dobbin, best friend of jazz in Montreal and the world, died last night after suffering a stroke while sitting at a table at the Upstairs jazz club in Montreal waiting for Ray Anderson to perform. He was 74. Dobbin was a passionate advocate for the music, having spent his entire adult life writing and broadcasting with great intelligence, insight, and knowledge about the music he loved. He was about 15, and already known somewhat in Montreal from his calls to radio station CJAD requesting jazz tunes on "Club 800" an after-school pop music show, when he co-founded the Emanon Jazz Society. In all the years since, despite serious illness and ongoing battles with his personal demons, he never flagged in promoting, writing about, and listening to this great music. For the last couple of decades he had a Sunday morning jazz show, "Dobbin's Den" on Montreal's community radio station CKUT on which he played, in addition to albums old and new, rare and unreleased recordings from his personal collection, things rarely if ever heard, presented with lots of background information, perception, and obvious love. An archive of these shows going back to the beginning of this year can be heard here. Goodbye, old friend. Post comments in the Jazz Forum [Montreal Gazette file photo of Len Dobbin] [Update] Tomorrow's edition (Sunday July 12) of Dobbin's Den will be a special commemorative broadcast hosted by Mike Chamberlain, including members of Montreal's jazz community paying tribute to Len Dobbin. Show starts at 11 AM EDT and can be heard online by going to http://www.ckut.ca/listen.php

Vancouver International Jazz Festival Sunday July 5th, 2009

Heading into the home stretch, great performances from Enrico Rava, Stefano Bollani, Hugh Fraser, Chucho Valdes, Ray Anderson, Christy Doran and other heatwave heroes; some nice afterhours surprises at O'Douls. Here are the offerings for the last day of this years festival, expecially recommended: lots of free stuff at the Roundhouse complex/David Lam Park. ‏July 5th, 2009 ‏‏ ‏Ugetsu‏ ‏Jul 5‏ ‏David Lam Park Stage - Free‏ ‏‏ ‏Christy Doran - Workshop‏ ‏Jul 5‏ ‏Roundhouse - Workshops at the Studio - Free‏ ‏‏ ‏Steve Smith's SONGS‏ ‏Jul 5‏ ‏Roundhouse - Performance Centre - Free‏ ‏‏ ‏James Danderfer's "Accelerated Development" Project‏ ‏Jul 5‏ ‏Tom Lee Music Downtown City Stage - Free‏ ‏‏ ‏Ross Bliss Trio‏ ‏Jul 5‏ ‏Granville Island - Market Stage - Free‏ ‏‏ ‏TD Canada Trust High School Jazz Intensive with Nicole Mitchell‏ ‏Jul 5‏ ‏Roundhouse - Festival Hall - Free‏ ‏‏ ‏Myra Melford - Workshop‏ ‏Jul 5‏ ‏Roundhouse - Workshops at the Studio‏ ‏‏ ‏Jason Walters Trio‏ ‏Jul 5‏ ‏City Square Shopping Centre - Free‏ ‏‏ ‏Jennifer Scott & Rene Worst‏ ‏Jul 5‏ ‏Taproom at Granville Island Brewing - Free‏ ‏‏ ‏The West Coast Art Trio‏ ‏Jul 5‏ ‏Roundhouse - Performance Centre - Free‏ ‏‏ ‏Inhabitants‏ ‏Jul 5‏ ‏David Lam Park Stage - Free‏ ‏‏ ‏Altered Laws‏ ‏Jul 5‏ ‏Roundhouse - Festival Hall - Free‏ ‏‏ ‏Cat Toren Band‏ ‏Jul 5‏ ‏Performance Works - Free‏ ‏‏ ‏Matt Wilson - Workshop‏ ‏Jul 5‏ ‏Roundhouse - Workshops at the Studio - Free‏ ‏‏ ‏Robin Holcomb / Peggy Lee‏ ‏Jul 5‏ ‏Roundhouse - Performance Centre - Free‏ ‏‏ ‏Sibel Thrasher and Her Gospel Friends‏ ‏Jul 5‏ ‏St. Andrew's-Wesley United Church - Free‏ ‏‏ ‏Rumba Calzada‏ ‏Jul 5‏ ‏David Lam Park Stage - Free‏ ‏‏ ‏Kate Hammett-Vaughan Quintet "Coming Back To You"‏ ‏Jul 5‏ ‏Roundhouse - Festival Hall - Free‏ ‏‏ ‏Mark Dresser - Workshop‏ ‏Jul 5‏ ‏Roundhouse - Workshops at the Studio - Free‏ ‏‏ ‏Jared Burrows Trio‏ ‏Jul 5‏ ‏Taproom at Granville Island Brewing - Free‏ ‏‏ ‏Sound Gallery‏ ‏Jul 5‏ ‏Roundhouse - Performance Centre - Free‏ ‏‏ ‏Tim Posgate Hornband‏ ‏Jul 5‏ ‏Roundhouse - Festival Hall - Free‏ ‏‏ ‏Robin Holcomb - Workshop‏ ‏Jul 5‏ ‏Roundhouse - Workshops at the Studio - Free‏ ‏‏ ‏Sophie Milman‏ ‏Jul 5‏ ‏David Lam Park Stage - Free‏ ‏‏ ‏The EastVan All-Star Blues Revue and The Pugs & Crows‏ ‏Jul 5‏ ‏Libra Room - Club‏ ‏‏ ‏Nikki Yanofsky and Michael Kaeshammer ‏ ‏Jul 5‏ ‏The Centre - Ticketed‏ ‏‏ ‏Cory Weeds Quintet‏ ‏Jul 5‏ ‏The Cellar Restaurant / Jazz Club‏ ‏‏ ‏Mary Kastle Solo & Trio‏ ‏Jul 5‏ ‏Capones Restaurant & Live Jazz Club‏ ‏‏ ‏Karin Plato Quartet‏ ‏Jul 5‏ ‏Roundhouse - Festival Hall - Free‏ ‏‏ ‏Jane Bunnett "Embracing Voices"‏ ‏Jul 5‏ ‏David Lam Park Stage - Free‏ ‏‏ ‏Fifth Avenue‏ ‏Jul 5‏ ‏The Ironworks - Ticketed‏ ‏‏ ‏Trio M (Myra Melford / Mark Dresser / Matt Wilson) and Ilmiliekki Quartet‏ ‏Jul 5‏ ‏Roundhouse - Performance Centre - Ticketed‏ ‏‏ ‏Jim Byrnes Blues All-stars‏ ‏Jul 5‏ ‏The Yale - Club‏ ‏‏ ‏Kate Hammett-Vaughan Trio‏ ‏Jul 5‏ ‏O'Doul's Restaurant and Bar - Club‏ ‏‏ ‏Christy Doran's New Bag‏ ‏Jul 5‏ ‏The Ironworks - Ticketed‏ ‏‏ ‏Mike Allen Quartet - Late Night Jam Session‏ ‏Jul 5‏ ‏O'Doul's Restaurant and Bar - Club‏

Vancouver International Jazz Festival Friday July 3rd, 2009

Some amazing shows in the last few days, Kenny Werner, John Stetch, Vieux Farka Toure, Jimmy Cobb & crew... lots more to come, here's today's sked, get out and support live music. (Blank lines begone!) ‏July 3rd, 2009 ‏‏ ‏The Contemporary Lovers‏ ‏Jul 3‏ ‏Granville Island - Market Stage - Free‏ ‏‏ ‏Scott White Quartet‏ ‏Jul 3‏ ‏Tom Lee Music Downtown City Stage - Free‏ ‏‏ ‏The Dawn Pemberton Jazz Quartet‏ ‏Jul 3‏ ‏St. Andrew's-Wesley United Church - Free‏ ‏‏ ‏Jeanette Lindström - Workshop - Cancelled‏ ‏Jul 3‏ ‏Tom Lee Music Hall - Free‏ ‏‏ ‏Ta Ki Ta‏ ‏Jul 3‏ ‏City Square Shopping Centre - Free‏ ‏‏ ‏VCMI / Student Faculty Showcase‏ ‏Jul 3‏ ‏Performance Works - Free‏ ‏‏ ‏The Zoë Trio & The Ollie Bollen Trio‏ ‏Jul 3‏ ‏Libra Room - Club‏ ‏‏ ‏Love Seat Deluxe‏ ‏Jul 3‏ ‏Capones Restaurant & Live Jazz Club‏ ‏‏ ‏Dedicated to You - Kurt Elling Sings Coltrane / Hartman & Enrico Rava / Stefano Bollani Duo‏ ‏Jul 3‏ ‏The Centre - Ticketed‏ ‏‏ ‏Sylvain Kassap Quartet and Léandre / N. Mitchell / Lee / van der Schyff‏ ‏Jul 3‏ ‏Roundhouse - Performance Centre - Ticketed‏ ‏‏ ‏Roberto Occhipinti Quartet‏ ‏Jul 3‏ ‏The Ironworks - Ticketed‏ ‏‏ ‏Malcolm Aiken‏ ‏Jul 3‏ ‏Ouisi Bistro - Club‏ ‏‏ ‏Monks Dream Trio‏ ‏Jul 3‏ ‏Bogart's Chophouse & Bar - Club‏ ‏‏ ‏Mary Kastle Solo & Trio‏ ‏Jul 3‏ ‏So.cial at Le Magasin - Club‏ ‏‏ ‏Duke Robillard Band‏ ‏Jul 3‏ ‏Capilano Performing Arts Theatre - Ticketed‏ ‏‏ ‏A Walk on the Wild Side tribute to Jimmy Smith, featuring Vanessa Rodrigues / Martin Petersen‏ ‏Jul 3‏ ‏The Cellar Restaurant / Jazz Club‏ ‏‏ ‏Billy Dixon's Soul Train Express / Brickhouse‏ ‏Jul 3‏ ‏The Yale - Club‏ ‏‏ ‏Ola Onabule‏ ‏Jul 3‏ ‏Performance Works - Ticketed‏ ‏‏ ‏Rastrillos‏ ‏Jul 3‏ ‏The Biltmore Cabaret - Ticketed‏ ‏‏ ‏Animal Names / Woolworm / Axis of Conversation‏ ‏Jul 3‏ ‏The Media Club‏ ‏‏ ‏Kevin Elaschuk Quartet‏ ‏Jul 3‏ ‏O'Doul's Restaurant and Bar - Club‏ ‏‏ ‏Dodger‏ ‏Jul 3‏ ‏The Media Club‏ ‏‏ ‏Gordon Grdina Trio with Mats Gustafsson‏ ‏Jul 3‏ ‏The Ironworks - Ticketed‏ ‏‏ ‏Mike Allen Quartet - Late Night Jam Session‏ ‏Jul 3‏ ‏O'Doul's Restaurant and Bar - Club‏

Vancouver International Jazz Festival Thursday July 2nd, 2009

The beat goes on with most venues quiet today for the Canada Day Celebrations and festivities at Granville Island. Sonny Rollins' performance at the Orpheum on Monday night was definitely a highlight so far. I heard a few people groan when Sonny was first announced that he'd been here just year before last but Sonny followers know that when Sonny is energized, he can give one of the most riveting performances in the business. Which this was, in spades. When he and the band came out, the bustling crowd gave him a standing ovation before he played a note and he took note in turn. Sonny came out in a black shirt and white suit, his shock of white hair and dark sunglasses. He still has that colossus frame but it's fairly hunched over now that he's in his late 70s. But the energy he put out after the music started was incredible, the effect was a caged animal like a white leopard prowling the stage. It almost seemed as though he never stopped playing, his energy was so infectious - pacing the stage, challenging the other players, facing the drummer, taking swipes during other solos and unleashing torrents during his own solos. We were sitting next to Kate Hammett-Vaughan and just before the concert started we'd been discussing the upcoming Kurt Elling tribute to the Coltrane/Hartman collaboration. Ironically, Rollin's first two pieces appear on that recording - he started with My One and Only Love and continued with They Say It's Wonderful, followed by a ballad that sounded like a familiar show tune that I couldn't quite place. Rollins has been criticized in the past for keeping a band that is not up to his calibre but on a night like this, the best thing the rest of the band can do is get out of the way. My only complaint was that on the next tune Sonny Please (one of his strongest compositions in decades) Sonny took a fiery solo and handed things to the guitarist Bobby Broom. The riff tune called for a strong rhythmic and melodic statement and Broom's solo was anything but, a meandering collection of notes that was only loosely related to the tune - fortunately it didn't last long before Sonny took the reins again. Sonny's longtime bassist Bob Cranshaw was workmanlike, the trombonist Clifton Anderson was as good as I've ever heard him and the percussionist Victor See Yuen was relatively non-descript. I would single out the drummer Kobie Watkins for challenging Sonny and really driving the whole band forward with uncomplicated energetic percussion, a perfect foil for Sonny and the reason that Sonny seemed to carry on a dialog with him for most of the evening. They played a few more tunes (including one of Sonny's obligatory 'mango' tunes) and the energy didn't let up. I kept thinking of Paul Gonsalves famous Newport 56 solo on Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue where the effect is almost like an RnB player who builds a solo and ups the ante on every chorus but always remains in total control, no screeching, every note passionate but perfectly selected for maximum effect. And thinking "Damn, Sonny probably does this every night!" Definitely one for the ages .... ---- Back to a full complement of shows, here are tomorrow's offerings (with blank lines at no extra charge): ‏Thursday, July 2nd, 2009 ‏‏ ‏The Kenny Wayne Gospel Group‏ ‏Jul 2‏ ‏St. Andrew's-Wesley United Church - Free‏ ‏‏ ‏Saul Berson Quartet‏ ‏Jul 2‏ ‏Tom Lee Music Downtown City Stage - Free‏ ‏‏ ‏Collin Yong Trio‏ ‏Jul 2‏ ‏Granville Island - Market Stage - Free‏ ‏‏ ‏VCMI Student Showcase‏ ‏Jul 2‏ ‏Vancouver Community College - King Edward Campus - Free‏ ‏‏ ‏David Sikula & Paul Rushka‏ ‏Jul 2‏ ‏City Square Shopping Centre - Free‏ ‏‏ ‏Peggy Lee Band‏ ‏Jul 2‏ ‏Performance Works - Free‏ ‏‏ ‏The Monica Lee Band & Victor Noriega‏ ‏Jul 2‏ ‏Libra Room - Club‏ ‏‏ ‏Gord Grdina & James Danderfer‏ ‏Jul 2‏ ‏Dockside Restaurant & Brewing Company at The Granville Island Hotel - Free‏ ‏‏ ‏Gavin Youngash & Jackée Guillou Jazz Duo‏ ‏Jul 2‏ ‏Bogart's Chophouse & Bar - Club‏ ‏‏ ‏Weaver Werth Band‏ ‏Jul 2‏ ‏Capones Restaurant & Live Jazz Club‏ ‏‏ ‏Remembering the Miles Davis classic 'Kind of Blue' @ 50: Jimmy Cobb's So What Band and John Stetch Trio‏ ‏Jul 2‏ ‏The Centre - Ticketed‏ ‏‏ ‏Karen Larsen‏ ‏Jul 2‏ ‏Ouisi Bistro - Club‏ ‏‏ ‏Laura Crema‏ ‏Jul 2‏ ‏The Cellar Restaurant / Jazz Club‏ ‏‏ ‏Mary Kastle Solo & Trio‏ ‏Jul 2‏ ‏So.cial at Le Magasin - Club‏ ‏‏ ‏N. Mitchell / Plimley / Léandre / Ho Bynum and Horvitz / N. Mitchell / Lee / van der Schyff‏ ‏Jul 2‏ ‏Roundhouse - Performance Centre - Ticketed‏ ‏‏ ‏Jennifer Scott Quartet‏ ‏Jul 2‏ ‏The Ironworks - Ticketed‏ ‏‏ ‏Kelly Joe Phelps‏ ‏Jul 2‏ ‏Capilano Performing Arts Theatre - Ticketed‏ ‏‏ ‏Vieux Farka Touré‏ ‏Jul 2‏ ‏Performance Works - Ticketed‏ ‏‏ ‏Fond of Tigers with Mats Gustafsson and Secret Mommy Quartet‏ ‏Jul 2‏ ‏The Biltmore Cabaret - Ticketed‏ ‏‏ ‏Tamara Rhodes‏ ‏Jul 2‏ ‏The Greedy Pig - Club‏ ‏‏ ‏Jillian Lebeck Trio‏ ‏Jul 2‏ ‏O'Doul's Restaurant and Bar - Club‏ ‏‏ ‏Mostly Marley‏ ‏Jul 2‏ ‏The Lamplighter - Club‏ ‏‏ ‏The Vince Mai Project‏ ‏Jul 2‏ ‏The Yale - Club‏ ‏‏ ‏Tony Wilson Sextet‏ ‏Jul 2‏ ‏The Ironworks - Ticketed‏ ‏‏ ‏Mike Allen Quartet - Late Night Jam Session‏ ‏Jul 2‏ ‏O'Doul's Restaurant and Bar - Club‏