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.

Sophisticated Ladies

Grammy Award-winning bassist Charlie Haden and his wife, singer Ruth Cameron, have married two of their loves on Sophisticated Ladies: classic songs by American composers and contemporary female jazz singers. These aren’t so much the hard-core jazzers of today as they are the beautiful balladeers such as Melody Gardot, Cassandra Wilson and Diana Krall. Neither are these tired standards; Haden and Cameron have chosen some lesser-known but gorgeous songs with lyrics a girl can really wrap her voice around.

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

Musical connections in the land of the Mayans

Perhaps it’s because I was in ancient Mayan territory and feeling a little mystical, but when I was at the Riviera Maya Jazz Festival (RMJF) at the end of November, I kept noticing the myriad connections between the performers in this year’s lineup. Coincidence? I don’t think so.

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

Although he wasn’t there in person, Chick Corea’s spirit and musical influence could be felt in a number of the performances during the four-day festival. Young piano phenom Eldar Djangirov was one of the stand-out acts of the fest and the influence of Chick Corea on his playing and composing shone through–especially in the second song of his set, “Exposition.” Now 23 years old, Djangirov can no longer claim child prodigy status, but the dazzling technical skills that caught the attention of Marion McPartland and caused her to invite him on her renowned Piano Jazz show on NPR when he was only 11, were evident throughout his set of standards and originals.

The Manhattan Transfer

The Manhattan Transfer opened their set with “Spain” which is pretty much Corea’s anthem and is the second track from the Transfer’s recent Grammy-nominated Chick Corea Songbook. They performed two more songs from that disc during their headline appearance, along with selections from many phases of their 40-year career. Demonstrating they’ve still got the vocal chops they’re renowned for, the group covered do-wop, swing, be-bop, vocalese and samba, including my favourite song from their disc Brasil “Soul Food To Go” by Brazilian singer-songwriter Djavan.

Ivan Lins (projected on video screen)

Another songwriter featured on Brasil was Ivan Lins, who headlined the first night of the RMJF. After being introduced and fussing with his set-up and tinkering with the sound, Lins finally settled in and gave us a beautiful show of romantic Brazilian ballads and sambas for which he is so well-known. Lins had put together a band especially for the show made up of Mexican percussionist Armando Montiel, Cuban percussionist Luis Conte, and brothers Eugenio and Enrique Toussaint (on piano and bass respectively) based in Playa del Carmen where the RMJF takes place every year. Lins finished his set with the Weather Report hit, “Birdland” (also famously covered by the Manhattan Transfer).
John McLaughlin must have been feeling the mystical Mayan connection thing too, because when asked before his concert on Saturday night why he based his new album To the One on John Coltrane’s classic A Love Supreme, he said he couldn’t really explain it. “I’ve noticed parallels between Coltrane’s life and my own – not the music necessarily. I’m not sure why.” His concert gave us no clues either, but it did give us vintage McLaughlin as his band the 4th Dimension (Gary Husband, keyboards, Etienne M’Bappe, bass, and Mark Mondesir, drums) started with a meditative slow groove, then moved through a tribute to Carlos Santana, “Senor,” then on to some straight ahead post-bop jazz, with McLaughlin’s blistering guitar work overarching all.

In the 80s and 90s McLaughlin famously played for several years in a trio with flamenco guitar god Paco de Lucia and Al Di Meola, who headlined on the Friday night of the fest. Earlier in the day, Di Meola – who for years played with Corea in the supergroup Return to Forever – talked about how for the last 10 years he’d lately been focusing on the music of the famous Argentinean tango composer Astor Piazzolla. Di Meola played a nylon-string guitar throughout his gorgeous set, but he still managed to coax some of his trademark fire from the usually mellow-sounding instrument. A truly global band accompanied the guitarist on his multinational musical journey including U.S.-based percussionist Gumbi Ortiz, guitarist Kevin Sedecki from France, Hungarian drummer Peter Kaszasand and Cuban bassist Victor Miranda. But it was Italian Fausto Beccolossi who made the most impact with his evocative accordion playing summoning up Pizzaolla’s spirit with every sensual squeeze of the bellows.

Mike Stern

McLaughlin was one of the first electric guitarists to play with Miles Davis as he, along with Chick Corea, helped shape the ground-breaking Bitches Brew. Later in his career, Davis brought in guitarist Mike Stern who, along with Dave Weckl, Tom Kennedy and Bob Malach, kicked off the RMJF in fine fusion form. With Weckl showing why he’s been named to Modern Drummer’s hall of fame, the band played off each other inventively and had all the heads in the (mostly) young audience nodding in time.

George Duke

George Duke has performed with or produced just about everyone, including Miles Davis on his Grammy-winning album Tutu, but when it was Duke’s turn to take the stage, nobody was thinking too much about that because we knew it was time to get down. Dancing in flip-flops isn’t easy, but when he got out the “Dukey Stick” we had to get up and make sure even the cruise ships going by way out there beyond the beach felt the funky vibes.

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.

Tropical jazz festival offers cultural alternative

It begins to tell,
’round midnight, ’round midnight.
I do pretty well, till after sundown,
Suppertime I’m feelin’ sad.
But it really gets bad,
’round midnight. – Thelonius Monk

The Manhattan Transfer performing at the Riviera Maya Jazz Festival

I find one of the biggest challenges when travelling on my own is figuring out what to do with myself in the evenings. During the day I can find plenty to do, whether taking a language class, going on excursions or just lolling in a cafe reading and eavesdropping.

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

The setting of the festival is the first thing that caught my attention. It’s held right on the beach in a stylish outdoor venue – Mamita’s Beach Club – and it’s big enough and has sufficient facilities to accommodate thousands of people a night. A giant stage with two huge video screens and a state-of-the-art sound system means even if you’re at the back of the crowd, you can still hear and see. (In fact, I found the sound a little muddy when I was right up front near the stage, so being further back is just fine.)

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

In a world of its own on a side street off of Fifth Avenue, La Cueva del Chango has a funky back garden, open kitchen and resident gato who will patiently sit by your chair until you feed her your leftover shrimp tails. Specializing in natural, whole food, the menu is mostly Mexican and offers margaritas made with freshly squeezed fruit juices. Grapefruit ruled.

Playa del Carmen - Mahekal Beach Resort

If snorkeling, sightseeing or cave diving are your scene, the Riviera Maya has much to offer. Unique to the region are cenotes (underwater caves) and you can take either a guided excursion or jump on a local bus and head to one of the sites such as Ecopark Kantun-Chi. Mayan culture and ruins abound in the area too, and the nearby village of Tulum is unique in that it has one of the only seaside ruins in Mexico.

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

Mahekal Beach Resort is a mid-range, oceanfront property with a lovely laid-back vibe. A palapas style hotel with private casitas that come equipped with a hammock on the front porch. No TV, phone or Wi-Fi in the rooms mean a person can really unplug and relax here. A bar with pool tables, TV and ping pong, plus a lobby with computer, Wi-Fi and well-stocked library, provide plenty of diversion. A yoga studio is slated to open early in 2011, too. Upside: Mahekal offers single room rates, although not posted on its website; the resort is located in the quieter, more residential and upscale part of town. Downside: the food is just average, but the resort is within short walking distance of excellent cafes and restaurants.

Secrets Maroma Resort

The gorgeous Secrets Maroma is a large, all-inclusive property on Maroma Beach, north of Playa del Carmen on the way to Cancun. Tastefully decorated rooms, superior service and gourmet food are features of this luxury resort. Upside: private whirlpool on your balcony; premium alcohol brands. Downside: a 20-minute drive to Playa del Carmen makes taking in the jazz festival a bit of an excursion, but not insurmountable.

Hugh Masekela

Hugh Masekela at Koerner Hall in Toronto

The reigning king of African jazz-funk, Hugh Masekela, held court at Koerner Hall in Toronto on Saturday night. It was a subdued start to the evening as the trumpeter and his five-piece backing band opened with a series of breezy, mid-tempo grooves. It wasn’t until after the fourth tune that the band started to break a sweat and Masekela chose to speak to the audience. But I guess when you’re 71 you’re entitled to take a while to warm up.

When he did speak to the crowd he joked with us, chided us for being too quiet, told stories from his childhood and preached about gratitude. His singing–which he did a surprising amount of–was raw, full-throated and gravelly, in sharp contrast to his flugelhorn playing which was very controlled; soft and sweet one minute, clear and commanding the next.

Masekela is best known for his huge hit from the late 60s, “Groovin’ in the Grass,” and since then hasn’t had a lot of North American radio play for his solo work, but has guested and toured with headliners such as Paul Simon. But he has been steadily working in South Africa, collaborating with and mentoring musicians there, protesting the political situation through music and regularly releasing records.

Once the band got going there was no stopping them as they played for over two and half hours, eventually getting the whole audience on its feet clapping, singing and celebrating along. The guitarist Cameron Ward got most of the spotlight when Masekela took a breather, as he alternated between iconic African sounds and wailing, distorted solos on his Stratocaster. Every band member got a little solo time to showcase their style, but the band’s strength was as a unit as they laid down solid, funky grooves enabling Masekela to stretch out and take us again and again on vocal, spoken word and instrumental adventures.

Toronto jazz singer reinvents the 60s on new release

With The Beat Goes On Toronto-based jazz singer Emilie-Claire Barlow has done what a few wise singers are doing these days, namely turning to more recent eras and songwriters for fresh material rather than the overdone American Songbook. This time out, Barlow has focused her considerable talents and jazz sensibilities on the 60s.

The opening track sets the tone for the album as Kelly Jefferson provides nuanced sax fills on a swingy 6/8 version of Bacharach’s “Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head.” Barlow has written all the arrangements herself and the stripped down instrumentation that predominates fits her light, pretty voice like a Pucci print dress.

We feel transported to a Yorkville coffeehouse as just bass and congas (Ross MacIntyre and Davide Direnzo) accompany “These Boots Were Made for Walkin’.” Very groovy. Iconic sounds of the 60s bubble up in the woodwinds on “Soul Bossa Nova” as it’s mashed up with the classic Sonny & Cher title track.

Buffy Sainte-Marie’s heartfelt “Until It’s Time for You to Go” appears in both English and French, and Tom Szczesniak’s accordion work on both versions feels utterly right.

An exploration of the 60s wouldn’t be complete without a journey to that hotbed of musical innovation, Rio de Janiero, and the cover of “O Barquinho (My Little Boat),” featuring Reg Schwager’s nylon string guitar skills, quietly evokes a carefree Brazilian day. Barlow’s specialty is bossa nova (do yourself a favour and check out her version of “O Pato“) so when she imposes that style on Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright” it actually works.

The Beat Goes On will be released on October 12 and Barlow is performing live to air on JazzFM91 October 21 and the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Toronto on May 14, 2011. For all concert dates go to emilieclairebarlow.com.

Toronto jazz festival brings the love

The TD Toronto Jazz Festival is more than half over and although I haven’t gotten to see nearly as many shows as I would have liked, that’s par for the course. With so much going on, big multi-act festivals can be a bit of an exercise in frustration and a test of endurance (and taxi wrangling skills) and this one has been no different.

Tuesday night was a classic jazz fest night for me as I took in four amazing acts at four different venues, starting with the uber funky The Roots at the mainstage in Nathan Phillips Square. It was apparent from the moment I stepped inside the venue that people were ready for a party. Whether the festive mood was because it was just a couple of days after the biggest event ever held in Toronto – the G20 – with its attendant protests and security hassles or because The Roots are just that infectious, is hard to say. But the crowd was on its feet and groovin’ hard for the 30 minutes or so of the concert that I caught.

Next up was veteran soul singer Bettye Lavette at the Phoenix. Covering such rock classics as “Knights in White Satin” that had her fans transfixed by her world-weary, heartfelt delivery.

Hammond B3 master Tony Monaco took over the Hard Rock along with Reg Schwager on guitar and Vito Rezza on drums. Monaco treated us to everything from hard driving bop to breezy numbers like “Quando, Quando, Quando.”

A small love-in was taking place at The Rex as a packed house hung on every note emanating from rinsethealgorithm. RTA is the brain child of bass phenom Rich Brown and the band does a gorgeous mix of jazz-rock in the vein of Weather Report with R&B/soul underpinnings.

Earlier in the fest Maceo Parker kicked things off with an entertaining show on Friday night. His experience playing with James Brown and George Clinton was apparent as he strutted around the stage, commanding the audience to “give it up” again and again. And give it up we did – dancing and singing along to “Love is in the Air” and “My Love Does it Good.”

More love was served up by Herbie Hancock on Saturday night and it was an extra special show, since it took place at the peak of the G20 summit. Protests earlier in the day had shut down portions of the downtown area but to their credit the jazz festival organizers didn’t back down and cancel the show and resilient jazz fans came out in droves.

Hancock and crew performed many songs from his newly released The Imagine Project, which is an ode to global harmony. So while only blocks away the protesters’ message was lost in the chaos, Hancock beautifully and musically delivered his message of togetherness with tunes like “A Change is Gonna Come” and “Imagine.”

The TD Toronto Jazz Festival continues to July 4 with great acts like Roy Hargrove, John Scofield still to come and a free concert on July 3 with the amazing Chaka Khan and Macy Gray.

CaneFire promises to light up your night

The incendiary Caribbean jazz band, CaneFire is celebrating the release of their second album, “Pandemonium,” on Wednesday, May 19 in Toronto.

If their take on the bebop classic Donna Lee is any indication, intimate Glenn Gould Studio may never be the same after this evening of hard-driving Afro-Caribbean-Latin jazz. The group, led by Toronto pianist and composer Jeremy Ledbetter, showcases virtuoso steelpan playing, courtesy of Mark Mosca, and the hottest trumpet playing north of the 49th parallel from ex-pat Cuban Alexis Baró.

“We’ll be bringing the heat of the Caribbean to Glenn Gould Studio,” promised Jeremy Ledbetter. “The audience will get one of the most exciting, high-energy jazz shows they’ve ever seen – Calypso, Cuban music and jazz all stirred up in a big pot and served with lots of pepper sauce.”

All tickets are $20 and can be bought in advance or at the door. Show starts at 8 p.m. Bring your fire extinguisher.

Yo-Yo Ma to open Koerner Hall’s 2010.11 season

It’s a nice problem to have when renowned international musicians are clamouring to play in your concert venue and according to Mervon Mehta, The Royal Conservatory’s Executive Director of Performing Arts, no less than Yo-Yo Ma was one of the clamourers. As announced today, Ma will be opening Koerner’s second season on October 14 accompanied by Katherine Scott.

Lobby of Koerner Hall in Toronto

And that’s not an anomaly – the whole season is crammed with exciting acts, both popular and a little more obscure. The 2010-11 line-up also spans a number of genres, sometimes in the same night. Trumpeter Hugh Masekela, who straddles jazz and world music categories, pays a rare visit to Toronto in October 2010, Swedish mezzo-soprano, Anne Sofie von Otter, will team up with American jazz pianist Brad Mehldau in February and the legendary Allen Toussaint, trumpeter Nicholas Payton, and The Joe Krown Trio, will transport the audience into the sultry soul of the Big Easy in a concert titled New Orleans Nights.

For jazz fans, surely the highlight of the season will be a five-night series honouring the late Oscar Peterson called “Aspects of Oscar.” The first of the five concerts, Oscar’s Songbooks, has been put together by bassist Dave Young, who frequently worked with Peterson. McCoy Tyner and Monty Alexander will also headline the concert series.

Dave Young, Robi Botos, and Reg Schwager play RCM press conference

In its first year Koerner Hall managed to build a reputation as both a musician’s and audience member’s dream concert hall from an acoustics standpoint, and a place to see top-notch music from a range of genres. It was a tough act to follow, but The RCM looks like it won’t be a flash in the musical pan and has become a major player in the Toronto cultural scene. Lucky us.

Torontonians kiss the cod at JUNO week

The JUNO Awards are taking place this weekend in St. John’s, Newfoundland and from the reports trickling through on social media from musicians who are there, it’s one heck of a party. While that isn’t surprising – St. John’s is a legendary party town – what is a bit surprising, and gratifying, is the range of music being honoured at the awards.

As Canada’s equivalent to the Grammy Awards, they have traditionally focused on some of the mainstream musical icons of this country, like Anne Murray and Gordon Lightfoot. And while they are both wonderful performers, there’s so much more variety and colour – shall we say – to the music being made in this country.

I credit Toronto and it’s renowned multiculturalism for being a strong influencer on the changing face of music. More and more we see collaborations of genres and cultures that result in new sounds that are fresh and innovative yet still honour traditions.

An example that springs to mind is the genius mashup of klezmer and Cuban music that’s heard on “Odessa/Havana,” Toronto-based trumpeter David Buchbinder’s collaboration with ex-pat Cuban piano master, Hilario Duran. Since that album was made in 2007 it doesn’t qualify for a Juno this year, but Duran and his trio are up for an award for Contemporary Jazz Album of the Year.

Other Toronto cultural hybrids nominated this year are “Trifecta,” a collaboration of guitarists from flamenco, bossa nova and rock backgrounds – Pavlo, Oscar Lopez and Rik Emmett, of Triumph fame and The Sultans of String’s “Yalla Yalla” which blends a whole bunch of genres like Latin, Gypsy–jazz, Middle Eastern and folk, in the Instrumental Album of the Year category.

Drummer Mark Kelso, nominated this year for his work with Duran’s trio said, “I’m having a great time here at the JUNOS! Have run into a lot of Toronto musicians here so far, like Roberto Occhipinti, Max Senitt, Chendy Leon, Dominic Mancuso, Tony Zorzi, Drew Birstin, Sundar Viswanathan, Darren Sigesmund, Peter Cardinali, Kevin LaLibertie, Bill Brennan, Lisa MacIsaac, Brenley MacEachern and Jim Cuddy. And this is just the first night!”

For World Music Album of the Year, Dominic Mancuso represents Toronto’s long-established Italian community with “Comfortably Mine,” a nod to his family’s Southern Italian roots with a North American sensibility. Jaffa Road is yet another example of a clever hybrid with “Sunplace” being a Middle Eastern, Indian, jazz, pop party.

The biggest rising star in the “world” music realm is Torontonian-Somalian K’Naan. His song Wavin’ Flag was chosen to be the anthem for the World Cup of soccer this year, and his album “Troubador” has been nominated in multiple categories.

Another thing that stands out about this year’s awards is the number of jazz albums and performers that are showing up in other categories. Diana Krall and Michael Bublé are both up for Artist of the Year.

And in the jazz categories, besides the aforementioned Hilario Duran, Toronto faves Emilie-Claire Barlow and Michael Kaeshammer have both been given the nod in the vocal category as have Terry Clarke and Kirk McDonald in traditional and modern, respectively.

The awards show will be broadcast on Sunday evening on CTV, but the real show is going on all week in St. John’s.