October 2009
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
Bill Coon Trio
Sunday October 25
7:30 pm
Elks' Hall, Courtenay
Tickets:
$12 members, $16 non-members
Available at
~ Thursday Jazz Club
~ Bop City, 211 Simms St. Courtenay
It can't get better than this for initimate, classy jazz. Don't miss this concert featuring three of the west coast's top musiciains.
Appearing with drummer Dave Robbins and bassist Darren Radtke, Bill Coon is one of Canada'a most sought after guitarists. A Juno nominee, he has worked with the likes of Jimmy Heath, Louis Stewart, Chuck Israels, Eddie Daniels, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Campbell Ryga, Brad Turner, PJ Perry, Fred Stride, Denzal Sinclaire, Karin Plato and Dee Daniels.
Listen to samples from the Bill Coon Trio's CD Speakeasy
“[Dave] Robbins has a breathtaking sense of time and technique at the drum kit and ferociously drove every tune Friday night. Powerful without being over loud, Robbins’ playing was the essence of taste and percussive texture and colour.” Joseph Blake, Victoria Times-Colonist.
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.
- Oct 8 - Lauren Bush Quartet
- Oct 15 - Dan Craven Octet
- Oct 22 - Cure All Dance Band
- Oct 25 (Sunday) - Bill Coon Trio
- Oct 29 - Jenn Forsland Group
Schedule subject to change.
AROUND TOWN
Jazz in the Valley
Mondays - live jazz at the Waverly, Cumberland
Wednesdays - Streetlife at Zocalo Cafe, downtown Courtenay
Sundays - Jazztet at the Griffin Pub, Comox
JAZZ NEWS
Yet another good Canadian Blog on jazz
Peter Hum of the Ottawa Citizen is producing a fine series on jazz with a strong Canadian focus. Check it out.
Beatles Jazz
The Fab Four are in the news again with the pending release of the remastered 14-CD set of Beatles albums. Often overlooked is how so many of their songs are adaptable to jazz treatment. Count Basie (sound samples on the link), Jaco Pastorius, Herbie Hancock and so many more have covered Beatles songs, sometimes devoting entire albums to them. A very short list of such recordings is available here. Not incluced in the list are Bucky Pizzarelli's great Meets the Beatles (with samples), and the Blue Note Plays the Beatles (with samples) collection.