photo: Vito Palmisano

Big cities are generally not for the faint-of-heart tourist. Sure Paris has the Tuileries, but it also smells like a toilet. New York has museums but it also has muggings. (I actually witnessed one on a trip there years ago). So if you’re looking for a perfectly picturesque getaway, an urban destination is probably not for you. But if you like to dig into the corners to find worthwhile experiences, Detroit should be on your list.

I’ve been there twice in the last few months, and I like the place a lot. There’s something appealing about a city that refuses to give up, despite economic hardship and a downtown core that’s a shell of its former self. Detroit earned the nickname The Motor City in the heyday of the auto industry of which it was king, and the wide avenues and stylish Art Deco buildings are still there as a testament to its former status.

Abandoned building overlooks well-tended city square

So as you walk the streets around the downtown area just north of the river–and, yes you can safely walk around downtown–you’ll find hip, happening clubs, nestled up against empty storefronts and beautifully tended parks and community gardens overshadowed by ghostly high-rises.

Annual jazz festival
Being there during the annual–and awesome–jazz festival on the Labour Day long weekend added more vibrancy and pedestrian presence to the downtown area. The well-organized festival takes up sufficient space–from the riverfront right near the modern, massive Marriott Renaissance hotel complex and north a few city blocks–to feel significant and energetic, but compact enough to walk to the various stages.

Since all the concerts are free, and the music programming is high-quality and varied enough to appeal to a broad audience, lots of people came out for the performances and to stroll around.

Meat me in Detroit
Being there not during the jazz festival is a fine time too, especially if you like to eat. Especially if you like to eat meat. I had some incredible meals in Detroit, with the cuisine tending toward the hearty rather than the fussy, especially with the proliferation of Southern BBQ places.

Pulled pork sandwich

The bar at Roast in the Westin Book Cadillac hotel

Cultural hub
Visiting the Detroit Institute of Arts–with its famed Diego Rivera murals–will take you into midtown and a lovely neighbourhood of Victorian era homes.

Detroit Institute of Arts

The main festival that has caught my eye is the Detroit Jazz Festival on the Labour Day weekend. Although it’s only three-and-a-half days long, the festival packs a huge and varied amount of music and events into that time, with performances on five stages in a relatively compact area.

Being vocal- and world-musically inclined, a few of the acts that jumped off the schedule for me are:

- Angelique Kidjo, Dianne Reeves and Lizz Wright perform “Sing the Truth” a tribute to a range of pioneering singer-songwriters – Friday, September 2 @ 8:45 p.m.

- Brazilian-American singer Luciana Souza with guitarist Romero Lubambo (who also performs with Kidjo and company) – Saturday, September 3 @ 1:45

- New York-based neo-soul singer Rahsaan Patterson – Sunday, September 4 @ 3:45 p.m.

- The lilting African folk of Regina Carter’s “Reverse Thread” should have a few people on their feet – Sunday, September 4 @ 4:00 p.m.

Other big jazz names include the Dave Holland Octet, Vijay Iyer Trio and Joe Lovano “Us Five.”

All the performances are FREE, but there’s a great VIP pass/hotel package on offer for those who want guaranteed access. The package provides special reserved seating, food and drink, and a good rate at the nearby host hotel, Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Centre. The hotel package rate is time-limited and must be booked before August 25. Check the jazz festival website for details or the hotel website to book.

Later in September, and a little less urban, is the All Canadian Jazz Festival in historic Port Hope, Ontario. From September 23-25, up-and-coming Canadian jazzers share the stage with more experienced players in what’s been called one of the prettiest jazz festivals around.

Coming up this weekend, August 19-21, is the Markham Jazz Festival. Just outside of Toronto, the fest takes over the quaint town of Unionville and the Markham Theatre with a range of international and local acts that mix traditional, modern, and Latin jazz.

Without doubt, the highlight for me was the Aretha Franklin concert that opened the fest on Friday June 24. Given the Queen of Soul’s recent health issues and her reputation for cancelling concerts, I wasn’t holding my breath. Earlier in the evening I’d had dinner with some of the local horn players who were performing with her that night, and they weren’t able to provide any clues as to how she was doing. It seems the rehearsals aren’t attended by Ms. Franklin, but rather recorded for her to rehearse to later in the privacy of her hotel suite. So when she hit the stage looking great and sounding even better, it was a relief and joy to watch the 90-minute plus show.

Next night I was psyched to hear my favourites from the disco era, Average White Band. The group still boasts two of its original members from the 70s–Alan Gorrie and Onnie McIntyre–so the risk that this would be a tired rehashing of old hits was there. But the band was tight and energetic and uber funky. Since they opened the two-band bill, they had the tough job of warming up the audience, who, though appreciative, stayed seated for most of the show. So it wasn’t the off-the-hook dance party I had expected it to be.

It wasn’t until much later in the night that the party broke out. The veteran Stax! outfit started their show by appearing on stage with literally no introduction, then eased their way through a solid Southern, low-key handful of tunes. Guitar player and founder of the band, Steve Cropper, was gracious and warm commenting “What the hell took us so long to get here?” It wasn’t until the clock struck 11 and front man Eddie Floyd came on that the energy shot up and the crowd was on its feet dancing and singing along to hits like “Knock on Wood.”

The next night I’d heard a rumour that a funky jazz trio was holding sway at The Rex hotel for two nights. I got to the packed bar to find a mostly young crowd lapping up the Bobby Sparks Trio. Sparks’ has a modern yet throwback sound–more analog than digital–as Leslie, Hammond and Moog were the main sources for the lead man’s extended grooves. Drummer Jason Thomas and bass player Michael League’s considerable skills featured equally in the band’s trippy, funky 70s-style show.

Monday was a tough choice with master singer Kurt Elling in town, but I instead opted for master guitarist Paco de Lucia at the newly refurbished Sony Centre. De Lucia’s awe-inspiring guitar technique proved to be undiminished as he opened his show with a solo classical piece before gradually bringing his 7-piece band to the stage for a set of traditional and nuevo flamenco. Although all the elements were there – passionate singing, fierce dancing from Farruco and phenomenal performances from all the players – the show felt bloodless and impersonal. Then when the band finished its 90-minute show and refused to do an encore despite repeated exhortations from the devoted crowd, the show was ultimately a disappointment.

In sharp contrast was de Lucia’s opening act – jazz harpist Edmar Castaneda. “Jazz harp?” I thought, “This will be weird.” And although at first it was a little odd, Castaneda’s skill and enthusiasm won us over, using elbows, fingers and arms to coax multilayered, percussive sounds out of the traditional Colombian instrument. More importantly, Castaneda was, despite a slight language barrier, funny, engaging and grateful to be able to be doing something he clearly loves to do.

The 2011 TD Toronto Jazz Festival continues until Sunday July 3 with lots of diverse acts including Bootsy Collins, Jayme Stone and culminating in a show by Canada’s young jazz sweetheart, Nikky Yanofsky.

Thanks to Mark Jaggassar for the photos of Edmar Castaneda and Paco de Lucia.

Aretha Franklin performs at the TD Toronto Jazz Festival, June 2011

In fact she could be the Queen of Blues, Gospel and Jazz too, as she appropriately opened the first set with the be bop classic “Cherokee” and later paid tribute to saxophonist James Moody, who had passed away late last year, with an impeccable version of “Moody’s Mood for Love,” a vocalese written by Eddie Jefferson set to Moody’s solo over “I’m in the Mood for Love.”

She treated us to a string of her classic hits like Carole King’s “Natural Woman,” “Think,” and “Day Dreaming,” as pretty much everyone in the audience filled in all the background parts along with her five singers.

Franklin took us to church as she sat at the piano for a meditative “Bridge Over Troubled Waters” that evolved into a double-time, down home testimony, before moving into a sweet and simple version of Sam Cooke’s “You Send Me.”

The 69-year-old Franklin was relaxed, gracious and in great voice, only showing some strain at the end of the over hour-and-a-half concert as she sent us off into the night with a heartfelt version of “Believe.” We believed.

Aretha Franklin opens the TD Toronto Jazz Festival 2011

The big party will be in the Entertainment District as the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, performs a free concert in Pecaut Square at 9:30 p.m. Opening act Jordon John & The Blues Angels will get the party started at 8:30 p.m. in the Mainstage Marquee with their bluesy, roots signature sound to warm up the crowd for the much anticipated Ms. Franklin.

Juno award-winning singer and piano powerhouse, Tyler Yarema & His Rhythm will have the last word, gracing the outdoor stage at 11 p.m. for yet another FREE show.
King Street West will be closed between Simcoe Street and John Street from 8:00 p.m. – 1:00 a.m.

If street parties aren’t your thing, Dave Brubeck will be a civilized and laid-back contrast starting at 8:00 p.m. at Koerner Hall. As a bona fide jazz legend with a career that spans over six decades, Brubeck is back in Toronto for what will no doubt be another sold out show.

The 2011 TD Toronto Jazz Festival is a chance to experience local, national and international talent playing a diverse range of genres as 350 concerts and 1,500 musicians are presented at 40 locations around Toronto.

I took my very first trip to New Orleans recently. Why I waited so long I don’t know, because it is a town that does a lot of things right – hospitality, architectural preservation, music and above all, food.

New Orleans’ cuisine can be roughly divided into two groups: the fancier, French- and Spanish-influenced Creole cooking, and the more down-home Cajun and Southern style, cooked up in backyards and diners. The food gods must have been smiling on me, because after I booked my trip I discovered that the annual New Orleans Roadfood Festival coincided with my visit.

Foodies graze their way through New Orelans Roodfood Festival

This two-day festival, now in its third year, has become a mecca of sorts for foodies across the land, as five blocks of Royal Street in the historic French Quarter are shut down to traffic and opened up to food worshipers.

Lined along the stretch of road are two dozen booths with grills, smokers, BBQs, ice chests, bars, bands – whatever it takes to make a good food party. Some of the purveyors are local restaurants – like the Court of Two Sisters, which is renowned for its daily brunch buffet, set in a gorgeous courtyard with a sublime jazz trio on hand. Others are from out of state – like the Memphis-based Central BBQ that had folks lining up for their sloooow cooked ribs and pulled pork sliders. Or the Tucson Tamale Co. which offered up three types of tamales including earthy green corn. (Try eating one of those standing up!)

Expert oyster griller

But the Roadfood Festival is only two days of the year, so if you can’t get there then, there is a head-spinning range of options for the dedicated foodie. The famous TV chef, Emiril Lagasse, has several restaurants in town and I tried the mid-range NOLA, on St. Louis Street one night and had a small foodgasm over the pizza with duck confit, arugula, truffle oil and fried egg. Then at Mr. B’s Bistro the next night I practically needed a shower after getting elbow deep in a dish of peel your own barbecued shrimp in a peppery butter sauce.

The only sub-standard (for New Orleans) restaurant experience I had during my visit was at a wine bar called Grapevine on Orleans Street where, although the setting and service were charming, the food was indifferent. What was worse was the computer-run player piano sitting in the corner churning out lame tunes. In a city like New Orleans with musicians on every corner eager for performance experience, having a fake piano player in a restaurant is just a crime.

Home in historic Garden District

For a little break from the gustatory indulgence there are plenty of themed tours available like cemetery, garden district historic homes, and voodoo, but I decided to get out of town and get swampy. What surprised me about my visit to the bayous with Jean Lafitte Swamp Tours was the focus on the preservation of wildlife and its surroundings. Set in a large privately-owned wetland reserve, there are lots of alligators, turtles and Great Blue Herons cruising by during the leisurely and entertaining two-hour float down the canal.

Cajun cabin on the bayou

New Orleans has many charms, but for me what stood out and got me hooked on the place is their ability to take whatever they’re doing seriously – whether it’s food, music or nature – yet still have a very good time doing it.

Jazz great Guido Basso - photo Bill King

Celebrations will cut across all genres of music and the jazz community is no exception.

Lula Lounge has just been announced as the site for an evening featuring jazz greats Guido Basso, Jane Bunnett, Don Thompson, Richard Underhill, Hilario Duran, Dave Young, Pat LaBarbera and Terry Clarke. All are former JUNO recipients and several (Basso, Bunnett, Young and Thompson) have been recognized for their achievements with the nation’s highest honour for excellence in the arts, the Order of Canada.

“The night promises to be a full-out blowing session with each player bringing original music to the collective,” said Bill King, organizer of the event and a Toronto jazz mainstay in his own right. “Plus it’ll be a blast.”

JUNO Jazz All Stars starts at 8 p.m. on February 27. Tickets are $15 with all proceeds going to MusiCounts. Check Lula’s website for details.

An interesting addition to the roster is operatic soprano Renee Fleming. Her big voice and ability to deliver a lyric, along with Alan Broadbent’s rich yet restrained string arrangement and sax master Ernie Watts’ plaintive tenor lines turn “A Love Like This” into an ode to the beginning of a love affair that works its way down into your chest cavity and won’t get out. This one had me reaching again and again for the replay button.

Another standout on the disc is “Ill Wind” which Norah Jones’ warm, throaty delivery imbues with just the right amount of fatalism to let us know things are going to get bad, but nothing we haven’t seen a hundred times before and lived to tell the tale.

Interspersed with the vocal tunes are instrumentals by the flawless Quartet West, Haden’s band since 1989. To counterbalance the down tempos of the ladies, the men give us some boppish stuff like “Today I Am a Man” and “Wahoo” where they can stretch out a little but not as far out as they would have in the days when Haden played with Ornette Coleman and John Coltrane.

The disc as a whole has an appealing 60s noir feel just right for a cool yet contemplative evening or as backdrop to a Mad Men-esque cocktail party with hipster friends.

Charlie Haden Quartet West – Sophisticated Ladies (2010)
Label: Universal/EmArcy

Track List (with singers):

1. If I’m Lucky (Melody Gardot)
2. Sophisticated Lady
3. Ill Wind (Norah Jones)
4. Today I am A Man
5. My Love and I (Cassandra Wilson)
6. Theme from Markham
7. Lets Call it a Day (Ruth Cameron)
8. Angel Face
9. A Love Like This (Renee Fleming)
10. My Old Flame
11. Goodbye (Diana Krall)
12. Wahoo

So with apologies to Toltex (the God of Chaos) and Kevin Bacon, here is a six-degrees-of-separation guide to the highlights of the RMJF 2010.

Eldar Djangirov

The Manhattan Transfer

Ivan Lins (projected on video screen)

Mike Stern

George Duke

In its 7th year, the Riviera Maya Jazz Festival line-up for 2010 was one of the strongest yet, making it one of the premier festivals on the jazz calendar. With its combination of relaxing beach setting and intelligent programming, music fans should all be adding it their “must do” list.

The Manhattan Transfer performing at the Riviera Maya Jazz Festival

But after dinner’s done, I often find myself asking “Now what?” Sometimes I’ll brave a bar on my own–especially if it has live music–but there’s nothing quite like hanging around a place where friends are together having a great time to make you feel like an outsider.

And there’s also the Lothario factor. You know the guy. He thinks any woman on her own is fair game and must be dying for whatever it is he’s offering and won’t leave you alone no matter how firmly you reject his advances. Awkward.

But I’ve discovered a nice alternative to sitting in my hotel room watching TV: the festival. In my case, jazz and dance festivals are what usually draw me, but I’d bet there are festivals for all types of music and arts all over the world.

In particular, the Riviera Maya Jazz Festival (RMJF) in Playa del Carmen, Mexico has been my choice for two years running. The combination of a beautiful and interesting destination, a range of accommodations (see “Check In” below) plus a really terrific line-up of performers for four nights, makes for a lively and satisfying vacation. (This year’s festival included such big name acts as Al Di Meola, George Duke, John McLaughlin and The Manhattan Transfer.)

John McLaughlin

With over five hours of music on offer from 7 p.m. until midnight, there are a couple of ways you can approach the festival. Arrive early with your blanket and beverages (anything goes) and stake out your chunk of beach and settle in for the evening. Or–since there is no admission charge for the festival–you can come and go as you please. So if sitting on a beach for five hours is too much, you can swing by, see the first act, go have a bite to eat and come back later to check out more music.

You can also wander around the club checking out the scene. The people who come to the festival run the gamut from young locals (mostly) to whole families, to aging hipster tourists. Great people watching.

Check Out
Playa del Carmen is the hub of the Riviera Maya and a former fishing village that developed largely because the ferry to Cozumel docks there. Fifth Avenue is the main drag and a big strip of it is pedestrian-only and is packed with clothing and jewellery stores, restaurants and bars. Busy day and night, a woman on her own can feel completely comfortable walking at night. To escape the bustle, hang out near the north end which is more residential and upscale and has some very good cafes and restaurants, such as:

Chez Celine is an authentic French café with excellent pastries and coffee (and Paris prices).

Gambas al ajillo at Cueva del Chango

Playa del Carmen - Mahekal Beach Resort

Check In
The Riviera Maya has a range of accommodations from family-run B & Bs, to stylish boutique hotels to large, luxurious all-inclusives. Since the RMJF is in Playa del Carmen, it’s more convenient to stay nearby and walk to Mamita’s every night. But staying at one of the properties just outside of town is possible too, as long as you don’t mind taking taxis back and forth. Two places I stayed at recently are:

Mahekal Beach Resort

Secrets Maroma Resort