Woman Child

When the American singer Cécile McLorin Salvant won the prestigious Thelonious Monk International Jazz Vocal Competition in 2010, the buzz around her was massive. Relatively young and coming seemingly out of nowhere, she impressed the judges with her poise and talent. The praise then and since has been effusive (on a recent cover of Jazz News she was referred to as simply “The Voice”) and it’s all well deserved.

A festival experience

Carmen Souza performs at Toronto Jazz Festival – Photo courtesy of Mark Robertson

I had one of those moments on Wednesday night that make me really appreciate what a music festival can do – take you out of your musical box and see a performance you might otherwise never get a chance to experience. I mean, how often do you get to see a jazz/Afro-Latin singer from the tiny country of Cape Verde? Unknown to me prior to hearing that she was coming to the Toronto Jazz Festival, I quickly became interested in seeing Carmen Souza  perform live after watching a video of her rendition of the be-bop classic, Donna Lee. There are very few singers who have the vocal agility to negotiate the fast turns and twists of the melody, let alone the Charlie Parker solo that Souza put lyrics to.

Elling does Brill

 

When I first heard that Kurt Elling was turning his cerebral musical sights on songs from the Brill Building era for his next album, I couldn’t imagine how the two very different styles would come together. The Brill Building was a musical factory known for churning out teen-oriented pop hits in the late 50s and early 60s from resident songwriters such as Jerry Goffin and Carole King, Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil and Neil Sedaka.

Lhasa

I thought it was high time I posted something new here, and as I was scrolling through some CD reviews I’ve written I came across this one for Lhasa de Sela’s last recording. Lhasa died shockingly and too young of cancer on January 1, 2010. It’s sad to note the link I put to her upcoming tour dates at the time.

Lhasa de Sela fans have had a bit of a wait since 2003’s “The Living Road” and though “Lhasa” is a departure from her last, highly-praised disc, there is plenty here to enjoy. Lhasa’s gorgeous, plaintive voice and distinctive songwriting are the bedrocks and as usual she’s surrounded herself with skilled, sensitive musicians who bring a lot to the overall atmosphere.

Detroit a study in contrasts

photo: Vito Palmisano

Amid the boarded-up buildings and weed-choked lots are oases of culture and cuisine

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.

End of summer offers jazz bounty

Jazz fans in the Toronto region shouldn’t despair because the big local jazz festivals are over. There’s still plenty of music within easy reach, especially if you enjoy a little drive or train ride.

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.

TD Toronto jazz fest teaches about expectations

The TD Toronto Jazz Festival is about to wrap up another successful 10-day run and I managed to catch a few of the 350 acts, but, as usual, not nearly as many as I’d have liked.

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.

Queen of Soul still reigns

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

The great Aretha Franklin opened the TD Toronto Jazz Festival last night with a free concert in downtown Toronto. This was one of the first concerts she’s given since recovering from a serious (undisclosed) illness for which she was hospitalized last year, so there were doubts about how she’d perform. But she showed the thousands of people who packed into the marquee and spilled into David Pecaut Square that she’s not called the Queen of Soul for nothing.

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.”

TD Toronto Jazz Festival 2011 preview

Aretha Franklin opens the TD Toronto Jazz Festival 2011

Music fans will be spoiled for choice as the TD Toronto Jazz Festival kicks off its 25th anniversary year this Friday June 24.

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.

For the best food in New Orleans, look to the road

This gallery contains 5 photos.

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 … Continue reading →