January 2010
Welcome to the Georgia Straight Jazz Society Newsletter, keeping you up to date on the local and Vancouver Island jazz scene and informed about your Society.
AT THE JAZZ CLUB
Spring 2010 Season
The line up is in for the coming 6 months of jazz and it looks great, with Streetlife kicking off the season on Thursday January 7. Some wonderful new performers will take the stage at the Elks in the coming months, including the Anderson Jazz Syndicate, Fractal, jazz with a Mexican/Cuban twist, and Eccentric's Club featuring classic swing with fiddle and mandolin.
In February, watch for a very special Thursday appearance by Vancouver's Jennifer Scott and Rene Worst.
The upcoming Sunday Concert series includes Company B featuring Jenn Hodge, Big Bossa, a tribute to Jobim, and the great Annie Siegel.
Thursday Jazz at the Elks
7:30 pm, at Courtenay's Elk's Hall, September through July. No cover. Musicians welcome to sit in on the final set jam.
- Jan 7 Jazz Club - Streetlife
- Jan 14 Jazz Club - Joanna Finch and Friends
- Jan 21 Jazz Club - Anderson Jazz Syndicate
- Jan 28 Jazz Club - Chega
Schedule subject to change.
JAZZ NEWS
Vancouver's Cellar Jazz Club
Jazz afficianados from the Vancouver area will know about the Cellar, since 1958 one of the premier venues for jazz in British Columbia. Downbeat Magazine named it as one of the 100 best jazz clubs in the world in 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2008!
In December, Ken Hole, who together with Wally Lightbody started the Cellar, recently celebrated his 80th birthday. A good occassion to remind all of the great club. Check it out at 3611 West Broadway when you're in Vancouver. Their performer schedule is on the web.
Pictured - at the Cellar, circa 1960. Is that a plastic alto, ala Charlie Parker?
Real Book, To Go
Real Books - if you're a player, you have at least one. If you're not, then be assured you've seen the players on stage looking at them. Real Books are a great source for jazz tunes. But they're paper, they're bulky, and there are a bunch of them. So it should be no surprise that there's now an "i-Real Book". Yep, download it to your iPhone.
According to the web site, you can keep your book up to date automatically, and (this is cool) transpose a tune in to any key. Unfortunately, it shows only the chords (no melody) and is a bit small. And your iPhone ringing during a gig is not cool.