Cette section inclut des commentaires de fans sur des concerts populaires, sur l'organisation du festival et d'autres commentaires généraux.

Ça nous fait plaisir de présenter vos commentaires sur cette page.

Alors envoyez-nous les !

Les auteurs des cinq meilleurs commentaires recevront chacun un chandail du Festival international de jazz de Montréal. Les résultats seront annoncés à la fin du festival.

Concerts

Open Letters/ Lettres ouvertes

ARTISTS/ LES ARTISTES

       A,B    C,D    E,F,G    H,I,J    K,L    M,N    O,P    Q,R    S,T    U,V,W    X,Y,Z

A,B Ab Baars Trio Afro Cuban All Stars AKA moon Al Di Meola Alain Caron Al Di Meola Aldo Romano, Danilo Rea, Remi Vignolo  Amy Winehouse Anne Ducros Arto Lindsay Arturo Sandoval   Baptiste Trotigon Barbarito Torres Beady Belle  Benny Green Bia  Bill Carrothers  Bill Frisell Bill Stewart Billy Bang Blind Boys of Alabama  Bobo Stenson Bob Walsh Bojan Z Bryan Lee Buddy Guy Bullfrog & Curtis Byproduct   C,D Cesaria Evora  Charlie Haden Charlie Haden & Friends Charlie Hunter Chateau Flight Chick Corea Chris Potter Quartet Christian McBride Chucho Valdes Coral Egan Costards (les) Curtis Danilo Perez Danilo Rea Dan Ross Dave Holland  Dazoque! Dave Douglas with R.Rudd, B.Jones & B.Altschul David Wall Denzal Sinclair Diana Krall Dianne Reeves  DJ Vinet   [back to top/ haut de page]

E,F,G Egberto Gismonti  Eivind Aarset Ekova Eliane Elias Eleni Mandell Enrico Rava Eric Truffaz  Esbjorn Svensson Ex Voto Zurzolo Band Femi Kuti  Francois Bourassa Francois Carrier Francois Theberge Frederik Nordstrom Quintet Gary Burton  George Benson Gideon Freudmann Gonzalo Rubalcaba Guy Nadon Gwyneth Herbert   H,I,J Helena Noguerra Jack Herren Jacksoul  Jah Cutta     James Carter Jane Bennett Jane Monheit Jane Siberry Jason Moran Jay Jay Johansen Jazzanova  Jean-Michel Pilc Jimmy Cliff  Jimmy Heath Jim Zeller Joachim Kühn Joe Bonamassa Joe Zawinul  John Hammond John Lee Hooker John McLaughlin John Stetch John Taylor Johnny Dread Jon Hassel Jorane   K,L Katerine Kelly Joe Phelps Kenny Barron   Kenny Werner Kenny Wheeler Kristi Stassinopoulou Larry Coryell, John Abercrombie & Badi Assad  Laurent De Wilde  Lee Konitz Liberation Music Orchestra Lila Downs              [back to top/ haut de page]

M,N Makoto Ozone Malia Maraca Y Otra Vision Marc Ribot Marianne Faithfull Marilyn Lerner Mariza Marc Anderson Martial Solal  Mavis Staples  Michael Brecker Michel Benita, Eric Truffaz, Judith Darmont  Michel Camilo Michel Cusson  Michel Portal, L. Sclavis, D. Humair & H. Texier Mike Manieri Molly Johnson  Monica Freire Mukta New Art Jazz Quartet New Birth Jazz Band Nils Peter Molvaer    O,P Orchestra Baobab  Orchestra Instabile Oscar Peterson Patricia Barber Trio Paulu Fresu Petite Ecole de jazz  Philippe Catherine Pietro Tonolo Projectionnistes (Les)   Q,R Quartet West  Rabih Abou-Khalil Rachid Taha Ralph Myerz Ramasutra Randy Williams, DJ Ranee Lee Raw Materials Ray Anderson Ray Brown Trio Rémi Bolduc Richard Pinhas & J. Schmidt with Maurice G. Dantec Rob Clutton Band Rouge Ciel  Roy Davis Jr.  Roy Hargrove Rubin Steiner Rudresh Mahanthappa  Russell Malone      [back to top/ haut de page]

S,T Sarah-Jane Morris Selvaganesh Shakti Sheila Jordan Shirley Horne Sidsel Endresen Sierra Maestra Simon Shaheen Sonny Rollins Sphere Spring String Quartet  Stacey Kent Stefano Bollani Stefon Harris Steven Bernstien & the Millenial Territory Orchestra Steve Kuhn Steve Lacey Quartet Steve Tibbetts Suzanne Abbuehl Tabla Beat Science Taima Tango Flamenco Tanya Kalmanovitch Timbalada Tomatito Tony Bennett  Toots Thielemans Tord Gustavsen Trio Trilok Gurtu   U,V,W Ursula Rucker Vernon Reid Vic Vogel Vikter Duplaix Vienna Art Orchestra Vijay Iyer Wayne Shorter Winton Marsalis X,Y,Z Zachary Richard with Sonny Landreth & Bill Dillon Zakir Hussain Zenzile         [back to top/ haut de page]

 CONCERTS  

Mavis Staples & the Blind Boys of Alabama (Metropolis) 1/7/04.

Mavis Staples & the Blind Boys of Alabama took turns rocking the Metropolis on Friday night.

At 65 years old Mavis Staples doesn't have much left to prove. That the fire to perform music still burns we know. That she is charming, witty, and wise we know. She is an entertaining musical act if you are looking for an uplifting, gently cajolling, and challenging night.

Her voice many not be what it once was. She almost hinted that she was getting over a cold. She certainly went to the water bottle many times during her 1:30 "warm-up". Whatever the case, her high end just wasn't there. And that's a challenge.

That would be death to most gospel singers. Most gospel singers rely on their high-end during the pivotal moment of climax at the end of pieces. Ms. Staples didn't have her high end. Thank goodness she didn't need it.

Why? There are 2 ways to distinguish how soloists are feeling about their voices. If they are comfortable they don't perform hard, opting instead to let their beautiful tone carry the message. When they can't rely on that most soloists perform like hell.

That's what Mavis Staples did - performed like hell. Singing mostly about heaven and the Christian message still needs to be performed, and she did it to great satisfaction. The back-up band that she had playing for her is just as good. I believe the technical term for describing their performance is Whoooeeee!

Someone needs to hire that guitar player to go on a blues tour.

Mavis Staples is a hard act to follow - although the Boys started gamely enough. The Boys have a new singer in their lineup. He has a heroic voice that rings beautifully on the top, a great addition which will hopefully renew their interest in vocal music. He is a great talent. 10 years ago I heard them live on a small stage in Manitoba. I
noted no such voice then so I was surprised and happy to hear him.

So I'm glad to say that vocally, the Boys are still great soloists. But they have lost the ability to sing a capella. Working with so many instrumentalists has compromised their tuning and their comfort zone when there is no guitar playing. It made me distinctly uncomfortable to hear them butchering tunes that, until recently, were their bread and butter.

Which changes their gameplan. It also removes, if I may say, an element of their uniqueness. Not to mention repertoire.

Music is a brutally "what have you done for me lately" world. They can't repeat the a capella that they sang last night in many places and expect applause.Once they got away from the a capella, it was a fun time. They were charismatic, soft-spoken, and without musical reserve. They are natural on stage and still worthy of praise for reasons to numerous to mention here. 

But pray they don't go a capella.

John Wiens

[back to top/ haut de page]

The Blind Boys of Alabama ( Spectrum) 4/7/02

Un spectacle qui a commencé lentement mais qui a vite trouvé sa vitesse de croisière. Énergique et charismatique, cet ensemble de chanteurs et de musiciens, dont plusieurs sont aveugles, a ajouté du piquant à la canicule qui habitait la foule, enthousiasmée avant même l’entrée en scène des vedettes. Un concert mémorable où l’un des chanteurs aveugles est descendu dans la foule pour chanter sa joie d’être parmi nous. Une soirée époustouflante de musique gospel dans toute son aura. Les artistes ont transmis leur ferveur, tout au moins musical, au public et le Spectrum s’est transformé en véritable chapelle le temps d’un concert.

Mylène et Unto

[back to top/ haut de page]

Bryan Lee (Spectrum) 1/7/04

When I go to the Montreal Jazz, I go to find something I never experienced before. This was one concert to be remembered…let me introduce you to Bryan Lee.  

If one likes HOT and SPICY, some Chicken Gumbo and Southern hospitality then this is the concert. From the start it is a fast pace form of  traditional Louisiana Blues, right from the Delta,  but with, what can be considered Extreme BLUES.  

Once the group starts it is a full two hours of continuous music. The group consists of a electric bass guitar player who brings out a constant rhythm and tone to the group. There is the other electric guitar player who does a fantastic Louisiana slide and could play notes and styles on the guitar that to see is too believe. There is also the piano and organ player who, although is more in the background, is a constant at keeping the canter of the music. Finally there is the drummer, he played two hours solid and did a 10 minute drum solo which had everyone in the audience clapping and cheering him to continue, which he did. The drummer was in his own world, but what a sight to watch in wonder…  

Finally the boss man himself, Bryan Lee. He is the ultimate Southern Gentleman, he actually apologized to the audience that after 2 hours of music he could not continue because of the next performer. We ALL Wanted more!!!!! Mr Lee plays and sings the BLUES as the MASTER he is, with his straw hat and the white colonel beard leading the band, he controls not only the band,  but the audience. 

During the concert he had the audience singing, he even had a gender difference with the women and men singing alternate parts. This concert was interactive, full participation and fun. One was always wondering what was next.  

If you like the classical BLUES, Slide Guitar, great Drummer, Bass and Piano. If you want it loud and fast. And if you like it HOT and SPICY  with a few tears then try out Bryan Lee, you will not be disappointed..  

My kids will be there next year…..

Roger

[back to top/ haut de page]

Dave Holland Big Band (Theatre Maisonneuve-PDA) 1/7/04

Jazz fans couldn’t wish for a tighter unit than the Dave Holland Big Band. Born at the Montreal Jazz festival 5 years ago when Holland was one of the artists in the Invitational series the 13-man group grooves as hard as Basie’s band on arrangements as sophist acted as those of Ellington and Strayhorn, but with a sound that is contemporary. The meters and styles preferred are quite different from the traditional dance band as this is music for listening and a showcase for the instrumental talents of the players, most of whom were born long after the demise of the big band as a staple musical vehicle. As an ensemble and as soloists the musicians kept the audience—mostly comprised of older fans—enthralled.

The concert began 30 minutes late because drummer Nate Smith was held up at the airport and before the music making got underway, André Menard, the festival’s artistic director, presented the English bassist-leader with the Miles Davis Award, which is offered to international artists for their contribution to jazz. Holland, a Davis sideman early in his career, related how Davis responded to the bassist’s occasional overplaying with: “Don’t forget that you’re a bass player.”
And what a bass player! His muscular, looping lines anchor the band in its flights that are both rhythmically oscillating and melodically fresh, with tight and intense ensemble play. The compositions played, mostly from the band’s recent CD release Overtime, were quite varied, written by Holland himself, members of the band, and one composition especially written for the group by Kenny Wheeler called “Pick Up Sticks.” Everyone had a chance to solo and show
their chops. Most impressive, for me, aside from Holland himself, were alto saxophonist Antonio Hart, trombonist Robin Eubanks, trumpeter Sasha Sipiagin and vibraphonist Steve Nelson. The audience was treated to inspired, top level playing that proved that the big band is still an artistically viable entity today and not just an antique curiosity.

Paul Serralheiro

[back to top/ haut de page]

Gwyneth Herbert (Club Soda) 30/6/04

Gwyneth Herbert has a lovely, captivating voice that suits her pop-jazz hybrid style. At Club Soda Thursday night the young (22 years old) British singer/composer performed original tunes written with her pianist, as well as a few jazz standards and carefully chosen pop songs (including the
Canadian classic "Only Love Can Break Your Heart"). She definitely seemed more at ease with the soul/blues-oriented tunes, such as "Grandma¹s Hands" and "Mary" (both originals), where she could belt it out with the best of 'em; however, she lacked both the technique and the subtlety for the more refined standards. Nevertheless, what she lacked in artistry she more than made up for in charm. Her remarkable ability to create an atmosphere of intensely personal intimacy was enhanced by the unobtrusive, sparse arrangements for her trio (piano, double bass, percussion). Indeed, to my mind, her percussionist stole the show, using his wide array of bells and other noisemakers to great, almost painterly effect. The pianist and bassist were also accomplished musicians; the entire trio followed Herbert very attentively. She definitely needs to rethink the second half of the show, which started out with a superb rendition of Tom Waits's "Falling Down," but quickly degenerated into an almost uninterrupted series of dreary ballads.
Although some of these were quite enchanting--I especially liked "The Old Man With the Shell in his Hand"--I was craving one or two more funky tunes where she could let herself go more (the one intervening rock Œn' roll number just wasn't enough).

Nancy Berman

[back to top/ haut de page]

Tango Flamenco (Theatre Jean-Duceppe) 29/6/04

Tango and Flamenco dances fit into certain vague stereotypes that should be respected. When not respected the dances become something else entirely. The dancing last night felt too choreographed to be a true representation of Tango or Flamenco. 

Passion, character and style must be allowed to come out above all else. For instance different seductive qualities of the dances were represented. I cannot call the dances themselves seductive though, nor call the dancers themselves seductive.   

Due to these factors I must call this show Ballet. As a Ballet the choreography is often enticing and the lighting used to telling effect. The women's fan dance is one moment when the lighting is used to its maximum effect.

 Artistically there are many laudable elements to this show. But I can’t agree with the title of the production. This is not tango.  

The music is the most exciting part of the show. The violin often ranging into the highest parts of its range, and the guitars are all masterfully played. We were unfortunately robbed of many musical moments due to technical problems.  

One problem we face in Montreal is what I call Localitis. Any local product is judged as good regardless of scale, for reasons to complicated to go into here. Suffice to say that Quebecois = Laudable talent. Unfortunately, Quebecois does not always mean Laudable on the international scale.  

Last time I checked this was still an international festival.  

This group does not deserve the rave reviews it garnered last year. They dance, they sweat, and they look really smoking hot in their costumes. Yet they fail to achieve my expectations – exciting, enticing, alluring dancing.  

As I pondered upon this to myself the encores were presented. And I saw what I had been missing. A few dancers allowed themselves out of their choreography. Then they really danced. Wow.  

I sincerely hope that they will allow themselves that kind of freedom for a future production. 

John Wiens

[back to top/ haut de page]

 

The Airline lost her shoes, the band hadn't played together in months, and they didn't have the music for some fan requests. Disaster in the making? NOOOO! Kent turns out to be an American living in London who speaks wonderful French (learned from the movies!) and a magnetic stage personality. Club Soda is a perfect to hear her crisp diction and the crackling spontaneous energy of the band as they move through 75 years of American songbook classics without nostalgia or cliches. 

The crowd is hushed as Kent whispers and kisses the air. Rhythm section plays with delicate touch. Sax provides duet partner. This standard material is so often done by smokey voiced torch singers and commercial success stories that the breath of fresh air that is Kent's voice blows away any doubt about the evening. Where has she been? Why haven't we seen her before? She owns this material - and the crowd. A few heartfelt words between songs cement the bond between artist and audience. 

2 hours zip by in a flash. We stand. They play two more. The lights come on. We are sad it's over, but glad to have been taken to a place in the heart of a great talent.

 Michael Sendbuehler

[back to top/ haut de page]

Kenny Barron Quintet  (Spectrum)  6/7/04

Kenny Barron: piano; Stefon Harris: vibraphone; Anne Drummond: flute; Kiyoshi Kitagawa: bass; Kim Thompson: drums

The Kenny Barron Quintet gave an impressive performance on Tuesday night. Barron began the evening with “So It Seems”, a straight-ahead, swinging composition included on his latest release, Images.  However, the group really caught fire with its energetic Latin interpretation of Wayne Shorter’s “Footprints”, which showcased the propulsive drumming of Kim Thompson as well as some tasteful rhythmic accents from Barron at the piano.  Barron then changed the mood in a duet performance with Anne Drummond of his ballad “Song for Abdul”: beginning with a sensitive introduction of the theme on piano, Barron and Drummond then doubled on the melancholy melody, and in her solo Drummond experimented artfully with a breathy tone and staccato tonguing.  This tune was followed by Stefon Harris’ “The Lost Ones”, a structurally simple but moving composition which featured the incomparable Harris himself, as well as some very expressive bass work from Kitagawa and delicate cymbal stylings from Thompson.  This was followed by Barron’s composition, “Cook’s Bay”, a evocative piece calling up almost photographic images, and which offered ample space for soloing.  Here again the drummer Kim Thompson showed a dexterity and flair well beyond her years, while Harris awed with his poly-rhythmic comping.  Barron then ended the performance with a standard bop progression, which gave him the opportunity to demonstrate his prodigious technique and driving swing, and for Harris to defy the laws of physics with his impossible speed.  For the encore, Barron quieted the mood with a more subdued number which, nevertheless, again allowed for the percussive wizardry of Thompson.

Throughout the evening Barron played the charming host, and was especially entertaining in his introductions of the band members—in particular of his Manhattan School of Music students Thompson and Drummond (as a measure of her broad talent, flautist Drummond is a piano major at the School).  In his remarks Barron gave the impression that his quintet was newly-formed, but they played with the confidence and cohesion of an established line-up, which promises that Images is well worth acquiring.  Overall, a very enjoyable evening of music.

Jas.     

Chucho Valdes & Kenny Barron (Monument National) 3/7/02

For those festival goers who missed tonight's concert featuring Chucho Valdes and Kenny Barron, you have truly missed an incredible experience. Chucho's rough mastery of the Cuban piano style was complimented so perfectly by one of the under-rated kings of American jazz, Kenny Barron. The concert was mostly a collection of expected jazz standards, however each song was driven by two opposing and unique forces that turned the most obvious standard into an audacious symphony. The concert resembled the interplay between the two forces of the psyche, the conscious and the subconscious minds. Kenny Barron's ear-pleasing phrases and mature use of the jazz language and vocabulary was mirrored by the less cadential, poetic wandering that Chucho experimented with. Every time Chucho brought the audience into a dark place that was unfamiliar, Kenny brought us back "home". On the other hand, every time we felt too comfortable at home, Chucho reminded us that there is a strange world beyond every one's back yard.

Christopher

[back to top/ haut de page]

 Patricia Barber Trio (Spectrum) 9/7/04

I had heard Patricia Barber from recordings, and knew she was masterful in her piano and vocal skills, but was not completely prepared for the delectable treats we were to experience at her concert at the Spectrum on July 9. Patricia and the ensemble set a masterfully refined set of original and cover compositions, always demonstrating their excellent musicianship by hinting at the fact that there was more available than they had to give at any moment. In fact, I didn't feel the band really opened and gave it all until the last number. What a joy to hear a group that wasn't wailing from morning until night!

There is a unique and haunting style to this group. Patricia's voice is brilliantly clean and pure, going from lyrics to improvised harmonies and vocalizations without any apparent effort. The band lays back at all times while still giving a perfect balance and drive to everything. The guitarists waves of slightly distorted sound are a perfect compliment to Patricia's voice.

It took my friend and I a few tunes to become fully engaged in the unmistakable spell of the evening, but
we found it and were truly uplifted by this ensemble's masterful weaving of music.

Ross Brownlee

Patricia Barber Trio with Stefon Harris (Theatre Maisonneuve) 2/7/2001 

Performing at the open grand piano in black capri pants and jacket, bare feet and an upscale version of the backwards cap popularized by Team Canada at the last Olympic Games, Patricia Barber epitomized the millennial evolution of a strong, independent yet sensitive beat chick.
Backed up by a skilled bassist and a highly expressive drummer, who looked to be having the time of his life, Ms. Barber was also accompanied for this concert by talented vibraphonist Stefon Harris. The musicians produced a tight sound but with enough improvisation to keep things piquant, as when the duelling piano and vibraphone had the artists themselves in stitches.
Ms. Barber sang many of her own compositions, which have quirky, individualistic lyrics with more than a hint of satirical bite.
She has a way of hunching attentively over the keyboard as though sending a message and listening for the piano’s response. A Celtic influence was prevalent on some numbers, whereas others had an esoteric, new-age feel with Stefon Harris’s evocative vibraphone in the foreground.
The audience seemed most appreciative, particularly of Ms. Barber’s own compositions. The concert was being filmed for television.

Cynthia Adam

[back to top/ haut de page]

Taima (TNM) 9/7/04

[back to top/ haut de page]  

Lila Downs (Club Soda) 5/7/04  

Lila Downs rendered a very  spirited , exciting  as well as entertaining performance to a houseful of captivated audience! Endowed with an amazing range of powerful voice, she sang about the plight of immigrant workers , lives of ordinary people , rights of women and even of insectsi.e., the dancing cockroaches!The  wide screen behind the artist depicting the themes of her songs added to the quality of the performance..The accompanying artists, playing the saxaphone, the drums, the guitars, harp and the violinwere indeed superb, eliciting several applauses from the audience.Her rich Mexican-Indian American heritage was amply evident in most of her jazz numbers, folk songs, and ballads, with political underlining. She ended befittingly the evening with her academy award winning title song of the movie Frida.Montrealers will certainly welcome back this committed and brilliant performer!   

Madhu Iyer & Anne Caines

[back to top/ haut de page]

Charlie Haden & Quartet West (Monument National) 9/7/04

Charlie Haden: bass; Ernie Watts: tenor saxophone; Alan Broadbent: piano;
Rodney Green: drums

Quartet West gave an astounding performance on Friday evening, and further cemented its reputation as one of the most polished quartets in contemporary jazz.  Haden’s most popular and mainstream group, Quartet West explored a variety of musical styles from Latin to Bebop to ballads, and its members played seamlessly together.  However, the concert really belonged to the quartet’s front-men, Broadbent and Watts, who essentially gave a clinic on the piano and tenor sax, respectively.  To begin with Broadbent, I have never heard such musicianship from a jazz pianist.  Obviously schooled in the classical repertoire, Broadbent showed a knowledge and command of harmony and, especially, counterpoint that are rarely shown on a jazz stage: his block chord intros, solos, and comping were flawlessly executed and not once did he repeat himself or resort to quoting.  He is definitely the most inventive and consistently interesting jazz pianist I have encountered in recent memory.  And now for the underrated Watts, of whom I can equally only speak in unabashed superlatives.  This man is a musical force of nature: the energy, taste, technical dexterity, and sheer virtuosity of his playing simply defy belief.  As testament to his complete control of his instrument as well as to his transfixing of his audience, on a couple of occasions Watts received a standing ovation following his solo, which is something I’ve never before witnessed at a Montreal Jazz Festival concert.  I have been fortunate enough to take in some breathtaking tenor performances over the years from saxophonists like Brecker, Lovano, Potter, Marsalis, Mintzner and Redman, but Watts’ performance on Friday night set the bar at an entirely new level. Even as I’m writing these words I can only shake my head in wonder.  And as for the bandleader and drummer, they were each solid in providing a rhythmic foundation for the group, and Green, especially, showed that he can stretch out and play if given the space, but given the monumental talent of Broadbent and Watts, Haden and Green certainly were cast in shadow.  That being said, though, Haden showed that his spartan and minimalist style possesses its own allure, and Green kept the music constantly driving forward.  All in all, an extremely impressive concert and one never to be forgotten.  

Jas.

Charlie Haden, the Liberation Music Orchestra with Carla Bley (Monument National) 8/7/04

 Charlie Haden, Bley and the Liberation Music Orchestra played together at the recently concluded Montreal Jazz Festival (30th June - 11th July 2004) and I had the pleasure and privilege of hearing them. It was an awesome experience listening to them and for me the high point of a truly fantastic jazz festival. As I remarked to my friend with whom I had gone for the concert, I had never heard so much of brass together (three saxes, two trumpets, one trombone and one tuba besides the piano, the double bass, the guitar and the drums) and they combined so beautifully.

Mritiunjoy Mohanty
Kolkata, India

A truly amazing experience. Rich, beautiful and moving. Having seen them twenty years ago in Montreal it was personally rewarding to see and hear them again in 2004. Their commitment to their music and their ideals inspires me.

Dolores Chew

[back to top/ haut de page]  

Charlie Haden Duos with Egberto Gismonti & John Taylor (Monument National) 6/7/04

The highlight of the evening was definitely the Haden/Taylor duet.  Taylor's beautiful ballads were simply entrancing.  A real romantic, Taylor is not afraid to wear his heart on his sleeve, as my friend said after the show.  Haden equally delighted, especially with his "Whale Song."
As for the opening duet with Gismonti, it would have been preferable to have Gismonti play on his own - the two musicians seemed out of sync on a number of occasions.
An enjoyable concert just the same.

m.d.

Michel Portal, Louis Sclavis, Daniel Humair & Henri Texier (Spectrum) 2/7/04

The concert was billed as the finest in French Jazz, it was that and more !!!  Each musician could have entertained the audience individually. But with the four combined it was an experience. Over an hour and a half of unbelievable non- stop JAZZ. Each one played for the group and that is what was so impressive. At one point I thought I was at a coffee shop in France, and the next minute speeding along the French country side, not knowing where I was going. But I was going somewhere. What a rush. This is the second time I have been exposed to European Jazz, 1^st to the Spanish and now to the French. It was a joy. 

My only problem is that I now have to find the music of Michel Portal, Louis Sclavis, Daniel Humair, and Henri Texier individually, but it will be fun.

Highly recommend hearing each of them individually, but if you can hear them as a group the more the merry.

Roger

[back to top/ haut de page]

Dianne Reeves (Salle Wilfred Pelletier) 9/7/04

From sultry to rambunctious, from sensual to raunchy, Dianne Reeves does it all. The three-time Grammy-winner sparkled last night, entrancing the audience with her fave songs, ranging from Sara Vaughan to Nina Simone, from
Peter Gabriel to Thelonius Monk. The wonderful arrangements served to highlight the exceptional talent of her trio, although occassionally her voice was lost in the wash of sound. Her voice shines in the high register, and glows in the low (and boy can she hit some low notes); she winds her way beautifully through chromatic passages. Sometimes, though, I wanted a little more lyricism as she flew around and through the melody without ever
actually landing on it. Reeves obviously embraces all musical traditions, from soul and R&B to classical and pop; she is a true diva in her ability not only to imbue whatever she sings with love, energy, and musicality, but
also to bring the audience along for the ride.

N. Berman 

Diane Reeves 1/7/2000

An evening to remember. Diane Reeves is the next Ella Fitzgerald.

Yvonne

[back to top/ haut de page]

Coral Egan (Club Soda) 9/7/04   

Coral Egan's Club Soda concert was a success to many in the sold-out audience, but not to us.  Perhaps she  summed it up best during her intro, when (in artfully skipping between English and French) she proudly announced that her language was 'franglais' or 'frenglish'.  Her musical language was just that - a scrambled melange of bits from here, there, and everywhere, with no real creative core. Sure, she's got a wonderful, powerful, and nuanced alto voice - which she knows how to use to some interesting effect - but one can only wonder at the musical distance between mother and daughter.  That is, unlike mother Karen Young  - who has immersed herself in the tradition of great female jazz vocalists -  there is considerable doubt whether Egan knows what jazz is.  In fact, at one point, while laboriously tuning her guitar, she quipped that 'that's good enough for jazz'!  The two sets were remarkably free of any jazz influence, and at best she managed a kind of pseudo r & b feel (more when she was alone, accompanying herself on piano).  The pop-infused idiom she had chosen instead was also profoundly self-absorbed, making us 'oldsters' feel like we'd stumbled into some adolescent journal ramblings, replete with
onstage giggling and halter-top tugging. She deserves some kudos for having written her material, and hopefully
one day she'll find a way to admit the outside world (both as musical influence and subject for her creative energies), but the lack of 'edge' and musical innovation (of ANY genre) left us cold.

D. van Wyck and A. Lewis

[back to top/ haut de page]

Dave Douglas with Roswell Rudd, Brad Jones & Barry Altschul (Spectrum) 10/7/04

I myself had never heard much of Dave Douglas, other than a few recordings that I would say were very - experimentive.  I want to say they were free but I'm guessing it was written music, so maybe I should say just very untraditional, atonal almost.  I don't know any other way to describe it, but none the less I am mostly a straight ahead type listener and I was still very pleasantly surprised at this concert.  It definitely wasn't traditional and all that straight ahead, but they swung hard, and played good melodies. 
I find one aspect of very experimental music in my opinion is that it's hard to tell where solos are, and where the heads are, and while it may be this fluidity that is the whole point, I don't prefer it over hearing a nice difference between the two - what's the intended melody, and then what's composed on the spot, and since it was the first time I had ever heard him I certainly didn't know his tunes beforehand.
 I'd say what stuck out the most to me though was his trumpet playing in general.  He has a fantastic sound, a vibrato you don't often hear in modern trumpet players, and an extremely apparent versatility that makes his statements worth hearing.  One thing that comes to mind is the bebop lines, very impressive. 

Alan Sherry

[back to top/ haut de page]

 Steven Bernstien and the Millenial Territory Orchestra (Gesu) 5/7/04

 Steven Bernstien and the Millenial Territory Orchestra played wonderfully for two hours. The orchestra, as Bernstien insisted on calling the group, emphasizing his distinction between a "band" and an orchestra as heasked whether they were the same thing in French.After this brief intro they got down to playing music. The orchestra consisted of 9 musicians. There were two saxes, baritone and tenor, a clarinet, a violin that sounded electrified but wasn't, a trombone, base, drums, electric guitar, and Steven Bernstien on trumpet and coronet with a long slide. Bernstien introduced all of the pieces played and dedicated some to the late Ray Charles,and jokingly to Boy Scouts, to Canadian Customs and Immmigration agents etc. Each piece featured at least one or more of the musicians as soloists. There was a generation gap between some of the musicians in terms of age with the trombone, drums and guitar being younger than the other musicians however the orchestra was

Ronald Spivock  

[back to top/ haut de page]

Zachary Richard with Sonny Landreth & Bill Dillon (TNM) 8/7/04

Zachary Richard accompanid by Bill Dillon on elecrtic and acoustic guitar, Sonny Landrith on electric slide concocted a hot, savoury mix of sounds to satisfy a variety of musical taste buds.

The show began on a quiet note as the multi-instrumentalist Zachary Richard sat down on the grand piano to churn out a melancholy tune in Cajun French. He later swiched over to acoustic guitar and brought up the tempo for his original compositions which portay life in Cajun  Louisianna (Cajun being an Americanization of Acadian). He sang both in English and Cajun French along with a  number of anecdotes to introduce the songs.

The musical smorgasboard continued with a mixture of blues and r n’ b. The icing on the cake was an uptempo zydeco number that got the crowd  stomping and clapping.

The concert was as much a crowd pleaser  for those who have followed Zachary on his long career as for those who, like I, have seen and heard him for the first time.

 Tenor 

Zachary Richard with/avec Sonny Landreth & Bill Dillon (TNM) 6/7/04 

Le mercredi 7 juillet, Zachary Richard a offert au public une prestation en deux actes, dont le premier était composé de ballades au rythmes lents. Avec l’arrivée sur scène du guitariste Sonny Landreth, le deuxième acte était plus relevé et diversifié : blues, zydeco, jazz, rock. Zachary s’est révélé un véritable animal de scène, surtout avec sa chanson de l’écrevisse ou la salle entière était debout, dansait et s’amusait. Cependant l’acoustique de la salle du TNM n’était pas à la hauteur et on arrivait difficilement à suivre les paroles des chansons, pour la moitié en anglais. N’empêche que ce pianiste, guitariste, accordéoniste, chanteur, compositeur bilingue de la Louisiane sait emporter la foule.

Mylène et Unto

[back to top/ haut de page]

 Richard Pinhas and Jerome Schmidt’s “Schizotrope”with Maurice G. Dantec  (Musee d’Art Contemporain) 7/7/04

 The lights darken over the audience, a recorded old French song comes on, Pinhas and Schmidt enter the lighted stage. They sit, Pinhas picking up a guitar and Schmidt in front of a computer and other electronic equipment. The French song continues, the woman singing as the artists arrange themselves comfortably. One of them is smoking a cigarette and coughing. The audience is transported to old Paris and struggling artistes. This image quickly disappears as the French song fades and Pinhas starts playing his guitar: a couple of notes that the electronic equipment repeats; a few more notes are played and these too are repeated. Soon the audience sees that this will be the flow of the music, a few notes played on the guitar picked up by the electronic equipment and repeated, sometimes a few recorded vocals added in: a phone message, a man’s voice—the words unclear, drum beats… No longer struggling artists in Parisian attics, modern day artists playing contemporary jazz.

A videotape of Gilles Deleuze, to whom this show is dedicated, appears on a screen at the back of the stage. He is a philosopher and as he sits in front of a computer or on his bed he reads Nietzsche.

Deleuze’s voice fades though an image of him remains on the screen as Maurice Dantec comes out on stage and starts reciting poetry. The sound on the microphone is not loud enough for what he says to be distinctly heard, it blends in with the music. The sound gets louder until the audience can now hear his words, his phrases, his poetry. When he has finished, the three artists leave the stage and disappear into the darkness.

The “Schizotrope” show is a blend of so many repeated guitar notes that it ends up sounding like background noise interspersed with Dantec’s poetry and Deleuze reading Nietzsche. It is not dance music, not easy-listening music, not feel-good music. It is a very avant-garde show, perhaps too contemporary, too eclectic for the average person wanting to hear melodious jazz.

Marielle Carpenter 

[back to top/ haut de page]

Jane Bennett (Gesu) 9/7/04

Jane Bennett’s concert was a departure from her customary appearance with her group Spirit of Havana. For this concert she was accompanied by two pianists: the veteran ex Art Pepper and Roland Kirk pianist Stanley Cowell and young David Virelles from Cuba.

The concert consisted of original pieces from her CD Spirituals & Dedications and a foretaste of her new recording Red Dragonfly. Her soprano sax and flute was accompanied both rhythmically and melodically by the grand pianos.

The playing was first-rate in this unorthodox jazz setup but the two pianos got muddled at times making it difficult to distinguish who was playing what thus creating an unclear musical picture.

For those who have heard Jane with her band Spirit of Havana, this venture into a “chamber music” setting lacks the texture and sonic lushness of her previous endeavours. To conclude it was a good concert, but not in my mind worthy of the standing ovation given by concert attendants.

Tenor

[back to top/ haut de page]

Tony Bennett (Salle Wilfrid Pelletier, PDA) 30/6/04

 I was fortunate to be able to attend Tony Bennett's show last night  (June 30/04) and can say with confidence it was a rousing success. He sang a lot of our favorites and covers of other artists. His band was top notch and added to the show by performing solo's and "jam" sessions. The drummer was particularly good. Tony's voice seems to be getting better with age and his rapport with the audience was great. We could have listened for much longer and the second standing ovation (after an encore) went on for at least 10 minutes.

Malcolm MacKinnon

[back to top/ haut de page]

Rouge Ciel (Musee d’Art Contemporain) 1/7/04 

We enjoyed hearing this group on July 1st. They are attractively animated and talented musicians to boot. Lots of enthusiasm too. Their selections displayed all their talents and featured an intriguing variety of sound and rhythm.  By the end of the concert, however, they were beginning to repeat some of the innovations unnecessarily.  Got a
bit repetitive.

J and E Taylor

[back to top/ haut de page]

George Benson (Salle Wilfrid Pelletier, PDA) 2/7/04

George Benson showed that he can still play the guitar well and work the crowd.  A nearly full house enjoyed his singing and playing old and new hits.  He was backed up by a 6 piece band including drum kit, electric bass, electric guitar, percussion, and two keyboard players.  I was disappointed that one of the synth players was doing the horn and string lines - I definitely expected to see a real horn section for this show.

Steve Bellamy  

George Benson (Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, PDA) July 4/7/01

Benson's melodious voice and pop-funk-jazz guitar were as pleasing as ever. His band, however, was imminently mediocre, as was the  sound-engineering of the concert. The synthesizer and drums were irritatingly over-amped and over-trebled. Benson could have done away with these instruments altogether, adding horns to replace the moog, and giving greater prominence to the female percussionist from Prince's band instead. Both her cungas and the piano were barely audible. The guitarist, Michael O'Neill's back vocals and licks nicely blended in with Benson's, but the vocal duet with Benson by the percussionist was annoyingly piercing. She should stay on back vocals. The listening would have been more enjoyable had Benson performed alone, without a band at all. The audience, nonetheless, enjoyed the concert, due to Benson's great tunes that probably brought back memories of the '70's and '80's.

Soprano

Au responsable du son,

Je suis un fan de jazz depuis l'âge de six ans (l960) et j'ai eu la chance de voir plusieurs spectacles de jazz, dans la salle Wilfrid-Pelletier ou ailleurs. Je me souviens même de Stan Getz + Astrud Gilberto (1964?) ou Dave Brubeck ou Oscar Peterson + Ella Fitzgerald + Joe Pass ou Woody Herman.... J'ai moi-même fait de la musique pendant plusieurs années dont quelquefois avec UZEB; je connais donc très bien le jazz et je suis un mélomane qui sait quoi faire pour bien balancer les sons dans différents types de salle (même dans des gymnase, sous-sol d'église, camping, etc.).
Pour la première fois, j'ai été très très déçu de la qualité sonore lors de l'excellent spectacle de George Benson. Si il y avait eu une intermission, je serais descendu de la mezzanine pour parler à l'ingénieur du son ; mais il n'y a jamais eu d'intermission. Il y avait  6 excellents musiciens sur scène (du moins il m'a semblé) mais on aurait dit qu'ils étaient deux. On n'entendait que le soliste (Benson ou clavier ou rarement un autre) avec le batteur. Je suis batteur mais je n'entendais essentiellement qu'une grosse caisse qui résonnait comme une explosion ou un mal de tête. J'aurais aimé entendre tous les musiciens clairement pour apprécier l'arrangement global. Le prix élevé des billets ne m'a donné qu'une énorme frustration ininterrompue. Pourtant, le son de tous les concerts extérieurs était impeccable, ce qui est beaucoup plus difficile à réussir que dans une salle conçue spécialement pour l'acoustique de spectacle. J'ai nettement eu l'impression que l'ingénieur du son qui était en fonction ne comprend rien du concept d'arrangement musical ; il n'aime que la mélodie et ne veut pas entendre l'accompagnement, les accords et la rythmique. Avisez le responsable pour moi SVP. Les disques de Benson sont pourtant des chefs-d'oeuvre de son bien enveloppés et parfaitement balancés, même avec des grands orchestres de 20 à 50 musiciens.

André Duquette

A little too much synthesizer. It really is amazing how versatile a performer he is. Not only is he a fantastic guitar player, but also has a great singing voice. He is a very animated entertainer on stage (as are the members of his band). He relates very well with the audience. He played a wonderful version of Take Five!

Steve Babb

[back to top/ haut de page]

Eliane Elias (Club Soda) 3/7/04 

Eliane Elias returned to Montreal last night to an enthusiastic welcome from fans at Club Soda.  She delighted the crowd with her talent at the piano and a voice that is a warm and soothing as a summer breeze.  Joined on stage by Mark Johnson on bass an excellent drummer (who's name I didn't quite catch but will take a guess at his last name being Takahashi), the trio filled the room with a great mix of jazz standards, some with a Brazilian flavour, and Brazilian tunes, some with a jazz swing flavour.

 The group played through 2 sets of music giving the crowd their money's worth.  They wound up the first set with Chega de Saudade (No More Blues), a wonderful arrangement that began with simply voice & guitar, changed to trio and had the very fine guitarist (though he played no solos) return to end the song. 

Ms. Elias played a particularly lovely version of Jobim's Photographia (sp?) as well as several other tunes from her new CD entitled, "Dreamer".  

Of particular interest in Ms. Elias' playing is her choice of melody substitutions on the piano.  She often takes it outside but never so far that we lose "sight" of the song.

The group ended the evening with a full jazz treatment on Desifinado which included a swinging piano solo followed by bassist Johnson's solo featuring a partcularly sweet bowed section to change the mood & feel of the piece.  During the drum solo the drummer abandoned sticks in favour of his hands to the crowds' delight and laid down some great stuff to set up the band's return.

 The audience gave the group a standing ovation and Ms. Elias returned with a wonderful arrangement of Garota de Ipanema (Girl from) from her "Sings Jobim" record followed by an up version So Danco Samba to end the night.

 Unfortunately, the Montreal Festival does not list the names of accompanying musicians in their programs and I do apologize for not including the full names of Ms. Elias' guitarist & drummer here.

Louise Thibault 

[back to top/ haut de page]

“Translate” Michel Benita, Eric Truffaz, Judith Darmont (Musée d’Art Contemporain) 5/704 

This concert, which showcased the musical explorations of French musicians Michel Benita on bass, Eric Truffaz on trumpet, and video artist Judith Darmont, involved a heavy reliance on electronics. Benita divided his time between plucking his upright bass and fiddling with the knobs and buttons of a stack of electronic gear which altered the sound of the bass and also resulted in sequenced repetitions of bass lines over which the musicians improvised. Likewise, trumpeter Eric Truffaz, who sat on a chair, cross-legged and relaxed, blowing out cool sonorities, fiddled with peddles on the floor, or interacted with Benita’s alterations of the trumpeter’s sounds, as he blew occasionally into a microphone that sent the trumpet signal through the electronic apparatus. Behind and to the left of Truffaz, Judith Darmont stood at a table that held two lap-tops and a number of dark boxes that she used to trigger changes to the projections on a video screen suspended at the back of the stage which paralleled the music stream, just as the musicians, at times, glanced at the screen to develop their musical ideas. Static harmonies, modality were the focus, and short, fragmented “melodies” were what the musicians mainly worked with in developing the music of the evening. The resulting sound textures were “cool” and the playing was very discontinuous, with short but intense bursts of sound ideas. The rhythm of the video images was interesting but not enough for a sense of development to maintain long-term interest over the course of two hours. And the whole approach resulted in music characterized by repetitive drum loops and bass figures that is fine for background listening or dancing but not really engaging for concentrated listening.  

Paul Serralheiro

[back to top/ haut de page]

Aldo Romano, Danilo Rea, Remi Vignolo (Gesu) 6/704

The Italian drummer Aldo Romano led a tight trio, with Danilo Rea on piano and Remi Vignolo on acoustic bass. The spry playing of Romano was the driving force behind the engaging, energetic music, with Rea providing inventive melodic variations on a number of Romano’s original compositions as well as on some unexpected vehicles such as the Beatles’s “Fool on the Hill,” and Elton John’s “Your Song”. The European mainstream approach presented by the trio was characterized by lyricism and a relative absence of bluesy playing. The pianistic colours reminded one more of Mozart and Beethoven rather than Ellington or Monk, although the rhythmic drive and the impromptu, inventive weaving of a surprising variety of ideas that appear with the best jazz were a prominent part of the unfolding music.The interactions among the musicians were also fresh and limber. Remi Vignolo provided interesting in-the-moment counterpoints to the pianist’s ideas, and Romano’s accents and shifts in pulse kept the music flowing in a continuously harmonious, stimulating fashion. Satisfying heads-up music created by articulate, imaginative players.

Paul Serralheiro 

[back to top/ haut de page]

Three Guitars: Larry Coryell, John Abercrombie & Badi Assad (Spectrum) 7/7/04

At first glance, Three Guitars seemed to consist of two geezers and a babe. With their white hair and glasses, Larry Coryell and John Abercrombie were their usual affable selves, but they appeared to be a serious mismatch for the sleek and seductive -- though equally affable -- Badi Assad.
And then the music began. Appearances quickly dissolved as the audience fell in love with these virtuosi. The three acoustic guitars (Assad on nylon strings, Coryell and Abercrombie on steel) blended well, though we always knew who was doing what. The friend who came along with me thought Abercrombie was the anchor for this group, laying down the most complex solos and consistently filling in for the other two players. I agree -- up to a point. John Abercrombie is one of the finest jazz guitarists around, and he definitely shone in this concert.
I was more impressed, however, with Larry Coryell. Since I last heard him, his playing has become much more melodic and he has learned a few tricks. The amazing chord work and fast runs were present, of course, with the addition of some sweet octaves and an entire solo played with harmonics.
I've saved what I think was the best for last. The classically trained Brazilian Badi Assad was simply astonishing. She was nothing less than a walking instrument. When she wasn't creating kick-ass rhythms and mind-altering fretwork on her guitar, playing the mbira (thumb piano) or a strange flutelike instrument, she used her voice and her body to create an explosion of percussive and otherworldly sounds. (Comparisons to Bobby McFarrin are close but don't even begin to describe what she does.) Her emotional intensity and originality were often the spark that
pushed her jazz partners to perform their best.
The music itself was a blend of compositions by the individual performers and a few Latin jazz standards such as Insensitaz (How Insensitve), One-Note Samba, and Corcovado (Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars) played the way you never heard them before.
I will summarize this concert in one word: Wow! The musicians played three encores to standing ovations. As soon as the stores open, I intend to buy a Three Guitars CD.

Jim Lewis

Larry Coryell (Salles du Gesu) 27/6/02

Larry Coryell's solo guitar performance last night at the Salles du Gésu was - to use an old cliché - pure magic. Mr.Coryell's symbiosis with his guitar was a sight to behold, and hear, both for amateurs and pros of jazz alike. Coryell has a way of playing his instruments so passionately, fluidly, tenderly, and at times emphatically, that it almost seems as if he is playing on beams of light rather than strings of a guitar.
The concert was a delicious serving of fabulous interpretations of artists ranging from Duke Ellington to George Harrison, interspersed with Coryell's own juicy-jazzy compositions.
From ballad to blues, to ambiant jazz, Coryell had the crowd grooving, snapping, clapping, swaying and "yeah"-ing for more. As for myself, I was continuously struggling between wanting to keep my eyes open and focused on Larry's magical movements, and wanting to keep them shut and drift into the smooth, jazzy universe that this artist so happily evoked. Coryell's good humour and connection with the audience was like a cherry on top of what was already a wonderful serving of sound.

Jeffrey Golf

[back to top/ haut de page]

Danilo Perez (Gesu)  7/7/04

The performance began before Danilo Perez even walked on stage: A faulty fire alarm in Salle de Gesu was set-off four times before the staff was finally able to control it. When the crowd was just about fed-up with the recurring technical mishap, Perez walked on stage with a warm smile and greeted the frustrated crowd with a few calming jokes and a pleasant demeanor. He was accompanied by one of my favorite contemporary bass players, Ben Street, and Adam Cruz on drums. Together they created a musically sophisticated yet abundantly playful ambience that wove together mostly unidentifiable excerpts from a variety of compositions by Stevie Wonder, Thelonious Monk and various Latin American composers.
Although the band was very well rehearsed (this is the same trio that played on Perez's latest album, Till Then), the energy seemed to emanate mostly from the intense interaction between Perez and Cruz. The two of them  exploited an uncanny musical connection, often breaking into unexpected duets where they seemed able to read each other's mind as they improvised complex figures that mirrored the other musician's intentions. While Ben Street is without a doubt an extremely talented bassist- and fits very well in the sound of the group- it seemed that he didn't get too many opportunities throughout the performance to join the fun game being played between the piano and drums.
The music was at times heavy to digest. The distinction between each song's melody and its solo sections was heavily blurred. Perez strangely favored playing in the highest and lowest registers on the piano for a large portion of his improvising, which made it difficult to distinguish the intricacies in his playing and at times worked against the pianist's inherent function as the main harmonic instrument in that trio setting. Nonetheless, the music was artistic and attractive, and each musician's virtuosity was apparent. It seemed that Perez's intentions with this trio was not to present his music in a standard and prepared format, but to rely on spontaneity to determine the direction of each song. Following this principle, the trio summoned both good and bad moments throughout the performance, but ultimately they achieved Perez's goals.

Christopher Cargnello

[back to top/ haut de page]

 Amy Winehouse (Club Soda) 7/7/04

 The expectations for this concert were quite high as the blurb read the “Billie Holiday of the 21^st century “ and “favourably compared to Ella Fitzgerald”. Although this young British singer lacked the vocal range of Ella, she did exhibit the slurry voice of Billie Holiday, or even at times a style reminiscent of Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mack if one wishes to give the publicity for the concert any credibility.

Comparisons aside, Amy Wineheart has a style all her own both visually and sonically.

Appearing in a short turquoise dress with pink spiked high-heeled shoes, she was accompanied by a trio consisting of electric and acoustic piano, electric bass and drums. Most of the tunes were originals of Amy’s backed by a funky beat in fast tempi and a backbeat in slow numbers. She did however play some covers such as Caravan, and What a Difference a Day Makes which got the crowd cheering.

The overall sound of the band was well balanced. As for Amy, although technically limited in her vocal range or clarity, her slurry vocal style seemed to fit in well in such a club atmosphere. So if you like your jazz jagged and mean with a dabble of alcohol drenched vocal chords in the delivery, you might have been pleased with Amy’s performance. 

Tenor

[back to top/ haut de page]

Chick Corea: solo concert (Monument National) 30/6/04

Last night Chick Corea, in one of his rare solo concerts, thrilled a wildly appreciative audience at the Monument National. With disarming casualness he made us feel we were sitting around the piano in his living room chatting and listening to him play. He even made sure the lighting in the venue was suitable to such an informal evening, by raising the lights somewhat in the hall itself, thus diminishing the distinction between stage and audience.
His wonderfully warm ‘fireside chats’ shed further light on his music and his life.
The evening opened with some ‘easy’ (his word) standards. In Gershwin’s ‘Someone to Watch Over Me’, Corea’s inimitable harmonies and voicing, and the lyrical, Bill Evans-esque melodies worked their magic. In ‘It Could Happen to You’ and ‘But Beautiful,’ both by Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke, Corea’s sheer joy in the sonority of the piano shone through, reminding me of Claude Debussy’s early 20th-century pianistic explorations of sound and colour. In the Bud Powell pieces that followed, Corea furthered explored the sound possibilities of the piano by taking a page from John Cage, muting the strings with his right hand while playing in the low register with his left.
The mood became even more intimate when Corea shared one of his current projects with us: improvisations on Alexander Skryabin’s early piano preludes, dating from the turn of the 20th century. I can see why Corea would be attracted to the Russian-born composer’s music, with its late Romantic harmonies and Chopinesque melodies, as well as its avant-garde dissonance and intensity. His renditions of a couple of the preludes worked well as dialogues between the two great musicians, with Corea’s improvisations melting seamlessly in and out of Skryabin’s pieces. Nevertheless, I would have to say that Corea’s voice was the louder of the two; Skryabin, like us, was a welcome, but humble, guest in Corea’s home