THE CELLAR celebrates 10 Years!

Posted on | August 31, 2010 | No Comments

by Cory Weeds

The Cellar Restaurant / Jazz Club turned 10 on August 8th, 2010. In keeping with tradition the club is celebrating the milestone in September. September 9th to 12th to be exact with New York City Super Group ONE FOR ALL! This fabulous sextet features some of the top musicians on the New York scene today including tenor saxophonist ERIC ALEXANDER, trumpeter JIM ROTONDI, trombonist STEVE DAVIS, pianist DAVID HAZELTINE, bassist JOHN WEBBER and drummer JOE FARNSWORTH.

After more than 13 years together as a working sextet, you can immediately sense their remarkable chemistry, both on and off the bandstand. You can hear it in their crisp ensemble playing and warm, inviting harmony lines executed with flawless precision by tenor saxophonist Eric Alexander, trombonist Steve Davis and trumpeter Jim Rotondi. You can feel it in the near telepathic connection between rhythm section mates David Hazeltine on piano, John Webber on bass, and the creative timekeeper Joe Farnsworth on drums. This kind of bond can only be developed over time, and for the members of One For All, it keeps getting better.

The One For All sound is forged in the quintessential ‘50s-‘60s Blue Note vibe, perhaps best exemplified by classic Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers recordings. The timeless Horace Silver quintet is another obvious reference point.

The 4 nights will be recorded for a Cellar Live CD that will be released in early 2011!

I would like to sincerely thank the musicians on the Vancouver Jazz Scene without whom The Cellar would not exist. We are very lucky to have the talent that we have in this city. A lot gets made about the international talent that has set foot on The Cellar stage but it really is the local musicians that make The Cellar what it is. Thank you to the media who over 10 years have done everything they could to support what we’ve been doing. Thank you to the investors who have been involved in the club over the past 10 years. Without your support and belief in my vision none of this would’ve been possible and finally to the jazz fans of this city. You have scene us through so many growing pains but you never gave up on us and you kept coming back. I’m indebted to all of you and completely honored and humbled by your support. Here’s to another 10 years.