chris wong in sync

By Chris Wong

When Dave McMurdo was 11 years-old, his mother bought him a Charlie Parker record at Kelly's on Granville in downtown Vancouver. That was McMurdo's first-ever jazz record, and hearing it, along with other like-minded records and jazz on CBC Radio, helped determine his direction in life.

Fast forward 47 years. McMurdo is now an accomplished jazz musician - a superb trombonist, to be exact - who has played extensively with big bands. In fact, he leads and composes for his own jazz orchestra. McMurdo is also a respected educator. All of those pursuits come together April 19 at the Capilano College Performing Arts Theatre. McMurdo will conduct and play with the college's A Band and 4:30 Band, which will perform his arrangements and compositions.

Now back to the history. McMurdo was born in England but grew up in Burnaby, where one of his music teachers was Brad Turner's grandfather. At UBC, McMurdo studied trombone with Dave Robbins. McMurdo recalls that jazz was "frowned upon" in the UBC music department at the time, but not by Robbins, who got his student's gigs, including CBC broadcasts. At UBC McMurdo actually worked every night in places like Isy's and the Cave with groups such as Bobby Hales' big band. After hours he played in clubs like the Flat Five and the original Cellar. "I remember hanging around the Cellar when Mingus, Ornette and Lee Konitz were there," says McMurdo, on the phone from his home in the village of Eden Mills (near Guelph).

In 1969, after the scene diminished in Vancouver, McMurdo moved to Toronto. He became an in-demand player in TO, where he was a member of Rob McConnell's Boss Brass and Nimmons 'N' Nine Plus Six, two of Canada's greatest ever big bands. In the late '80s McMurdo studied in New York with trombonist and composer/arranger Bob Brookmeyer, who suggested he form his own large ensemble. He did exactly that in 1988.

The 19-member Dave McMurdo Jazz Orchestra has released five albums and toured the former Soviet Union. The orchestra continues with stellar players and composers such as guitarist Reg Schwager, trumpeter Mike Malone and ex-Vancouverites Don Thompson (piano) and Perry White (baritone saxophone). The orchestra's latest release, the double-disc Just For Now, shows the band's richly textured sound on deft arrangements that generally stay straight ahead but occasionally take "a little peak over the edge," says McMurdo.

Recorded over the course of a week-long engagement at the Montreal Bistro in Toronto, Just For Now is the orchestra's third live album. McMurdo prefers recording that way. "After a night or two, everybody forgets that the microphone's up there and it's just a lot more relaxed." Like all of the orchestra's other recordings, Just For Now includes a tune by Phil Nimmons, another B.C.-born musician. "I think that he's one of the most important jazz writers that we've ever produced in our country. So it's an honour for us to have Phil write for the band."

Today's challenging economics for maintaining a big band, and finding promoters willing to pay that many musicians, means a good year for the orchestra is performing about 10 times. But McMurdo, who teaches at Mohawk College in Hamilton, clearly relishes each of those opportunities to shape the power and beauty of a big band in full flight.

In addition to the Cap College show, McMurdo plays April 20 at the Cellar with saxophonist Campbell Ryga, pianist Ron Johnston, bassist Miles Hill and drummer Blaine Wikjord.

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About a week ago by chance I went to the Kino Cafe, where I caught a flamenco set that exemplified the unity of dance and music in the Spanish art form. While most flamenco performances convey this unity, exceptional guitarist Victor Kolstee takes a different approach when he performs April 26 at the Vancouver East Cultural Centre. Kolstee will present the music of flamenco, without dancers, but in the company of strong musicians: singers Jesus Montoya and Rubina Carmona, along with guitarists Marcos Carmona and Gaye Delorme. Kolstee, musical director of Rosario Ancer's Flamenco Rosario dance company, will lead the performers in material that stays true to flamenco forms and emphasizes improvisation.

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Coastal Jazz & Blues Society, which will soon announce the full program for the Vancouver International Jazz Festival, has worthwhile shows coming up. Vancouver drummer Bruce Nielsen and his propulsive quartet-including saxophonist Mike Allen, pianist Tilden Webb and bassist Steve Holy-perform April 18 at the Cellar. The gig will launch Nielsen's first Canadian tour with the group. French trumpeter Erik Truffaz and his Ladyland Quartet play April 21 at Norman Rothstein Theatre. Truffaz has been a European pioneer in organically mixing jazz with elements like drum 'n' bass and hip hop. Finally Cubanismo!, led by trumpeter Jesus Alema¤y, will be at the Commodore April 25. I've been to every one of the Cuban band's concerts in Vancouver, and I can confirm that the 15-piece group always delivers invigorating performances.