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Festival International De Jazz De Montréal 2017: July 5-6
Montréal, Canada
July 5-6, 2017
July 3-4 | July 5-6 | July 7-8
Two more days in the lovely city of Montreal, a paradise for music lovers of all sorts during the Festival. Or anyone who just loves a good street party, for that matter. Last night (Thursday) after the late show I attended the streets were still packed.
July 5
John Pizzarelli Quartet with Daniel Jobim
The third of
John Pizzarelli
guitarb.1960
Catherine Russell
vocals
Jessica Molaskey
vocals
Konrad Paszkudzki
piano
Michael Karn
bassb.1966
Andy Watson
drumsThey went on to play several songs mostly from the original album: "Agua de Beber;" "Meditation (Medita??o)" which led into "Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars (Corcovado);" Dindi;" the Cole Porter standard "I Concentrate on You;" and "Wave." Great songs, delivered with an easy lilt. I did notice that Pizzarelli's solo passages when playing nylon-string sometimes sounded a little rough. A minor nit, and surely only a sign that the archtop is his usual axe. The entire presentation was so genial that it almost switched off my critical faculties entirely. The next group of songs was introduced as not being on the original album, although they are on the new tribute album. Michael Franks' "Antonio's Song" was written in honor of Antonio Carlos Jobim (Franks is also a personal hero of Pizzarelli). Daniel Jobim switched to piano for "Two Kites." And there was one Pizzarelli original: "She's So Sensitive" cleverly included a quote from Jobim's classic "How Insensitive (Insensatez)."
Called back for an encore, the band stuck up what is probably Jobim's best-known song, "The Girl From Ipanema" (which had been quoted earlier in "Antonio's Song"). They concluded with the rousing "Só Dan?o Samba," which appeared on Pizzarelli's first Brazilian album Bossa Nova (Telarc Records, 2004). An exciting end to a charming show. The sold-out crowd certainly had a blast.
Jane Bunnett & Maqueque
Canadian soprano saxophonist/flautist
Jane Bunnett
saxophone, sopranob.1955
Bunnett is extremely proud of the group, and it only takes about two minutes to hear why. Opener "Little Feet" from their new album Oddara (Linus Entertainment, 2016) presented precision and blazing energy, inspiring the leader to play the first of many thrilling soprano saxophone solos. "Maqueque" from their first, self-titled album (Justin Time Records, 2014) gave pianist
Danae Olano
pianoAfter another original with a strong clave pattern, Bunnett said we would recognize the next tune. It began with soprano sax and piano in duet, and she slyly introduced the melody of Bill Withers' 1971 hit "Ain't No Sunshine" before handing it off to the whole band with Majoko on lead vocals. The arrangement also included an intense soprano saxophone/drum duet with drummer Yissy Garcia, who is an absolute monster—a standout even in this group of exceptional musicians—as well as a terrific conga solo from Lavergne. After playing "Dream" from the new CD, there were two unannounced tunes involving audience participation. The crowd was game for some surprisingly tricky syncopated hand claps on the first. Bunnett succeeded in getting everyone to stand up for the closer, but I'm afraid most declined her offer to dance, despite the seductive dance rhythm provided by the band. Wouldn't have been a problem in Cuba, I imagine!
Arturo Sandoval
Cuban-American trumpeter
Arturo Sandoval
trumpetb.1949
Dizzy Gillespie
trumpet1917 - 1993
Clark Terry
trumpet1920 - 2015
Then the band launched straight into a funk tune, with Sandoval spending most of the time playing timbales, electronic keyboard, and singing—finally picking up the trumpet again, briefly. After more funk, he went out into the audience to sing the Charlie Chaplin tune "Smile" first performed by
Nat King Cole
piano and vocals1919 - 1965
Moving to the piano, Sandoval demonstrated considerable technique on a Latin tune. This doesn't come out of the blue: he once recorded an album on piano, My Passion for the Piano (Columbia, 2001). He then interrupted
Duke Ellington
piano1899 - 1974
Sandoval is a remarkable musician, and his trumpet playing is still a wonder. He even has his high screech trumpet range, although it was used for display rather than for expressive reasons. But he seems to see himself more as a showman than a musician these days, and an incredibly self-indulgent one at that. His extremely competent band was clearly prepared for his shenanigans. Probably not rehearsed, but expected. His audiences deserve better.
July 6
Ravi Coltrane duo with David Virelles
Saxophonist
Ravi Coltrane
saxophone, tenorb.1965
David Virelles
pianob.1983
John Coltrane
saxophone1926 - 1967
Jane Bunnett
saxophone, sopranob.1955
Chris Potter
saxophone, tenorb.1971
Tomasz Stańko
trumpet1942 - 2018
The duo was playing freely—I never heard an entrance to a tune counted out—but they were playing set compositions. The first piece was "Candlewood Path" by Coltrane (the title is the street where John Coltrane lived from 1964 until his death in 1967). The second was "Efe Dos 12" by Virelles, which began with thunderous piano. John Coltrane's "Expression" was his last studio recording. The duo's performance included a rhapsodic piano solo. An untitled Ravi Coltrane composition found Virelles using an electronic keyboard for the first time in the set, for a sustained organ sound in combination with the acoustic piano. The piece also included an extensive quote from
Thelonious Monk
piano1917 - 1982
Coltrane picked up his sopranino saxophone for a tune he jokingly identified as "Untitled #73." He switched to tenor for the John Coltrane classic "Crescent," which included an unaccompanied sax solo. Virelles' "Branco Beco" was built on a steady rhythmic pattern, with crazy stuff on top. There was a humorous piano repeating figure which cracked up both players. Called back for an encore, the duo began on soprano saxophone (the first use in the set) and piano, then Virelles switched to an organ keyboard sound and Coltrane to tenor saxophone. It was a beautiful sound—highly appropriate to a cultural center located in a church basement—with the change back to piano bringing things back to a jazz setting.
A lovely, exploratory start to Coltrane's series of three concerts.
Riverside with special guest Carla Bley
Trumpeter
Dave Douglas
trumpetb.1963
Chet Doxas
saxophone
Steve Swallow
bassb.1940
Jim Doxas
drums
Jimmy Giuffre
clarinet1921 - 2008
Carla Bley
piano1938 - 2023
The concert opened with Bley's classic "Ida Lupino." As with everything the group does, the arrangement was very conversational: true to Giuffre's chamber jazz approach, rather than head/solos/head. The rest of the program included compositions from nearly the whole group, beginning with Douglas' "Milioson." In addition to being the perfect pianist for Carla Bley music, Bley proved quite adept as an accompanist. Not a lot of notes, but always the right ones. This tour must be the first time in many years that she played in an ensemble not performing primarily her own compositions or arrangements (in her role as music director of the " data-original-title="" title="">Liberation Music Orchestra, for example).
Chet Doxas' "View From a Bird" (inspired by a painting by the Spanish artist Joan Miró) found him back on clarinet. One of the refreshing things about his playing is that clarinet and tenor saxophone get equal time: he switched between them all through the set. Steve Swallow's "Now and Again" was the first of several premiers in the set. This is definitely not a repertory band: not only did they not play all Carla Bley music, they only played one track from the new album. Chet Doxas' "Gord Downie" was written in honor of the Canadian rock musician (lead singer of The Tragically Hip). Downie is currently fighting cancer, but remains active in social causes, notably support of the indigenous peoples of Canada.
The biggest surprise of the evening was the premier of a new Carla Bley suite: the "Unholy Mess Suite." With sections titles like "The D.O.N.A.L.D." and "The Godawful Ending," it was clear what mess was being referenced. The piece was certainly not a mess. It has all the hallmarks of Bley's composing: new music from her is a gift. The group closed out the set with another Bley classic, her arrangement of "Floater." Called back for an encore, they played Douglas' "False Allegiances." He brought the evening full circle by quoting from "Ida Lupino" during his trumpet solo.
This is a marvelous group of players, and there is something truly magical about their collective chemistry.
Harold López-Nussa Trio
Cuban pianist
Harold Lopez-Nussa
pianob.1983
Ruy Adrian López-Nussa
percussionThe pianist really showed his lyrical side during an unaccompanied ballad. Then his brother came onstage to join him in a frenetic dance for piano four-hands. It was an amazing display, complete with hand crossing at the keyboard and two seating shifts on the piano bench (playing all the while). Clearly a rehearsed "bit," but an absolute hoot nonetheless. When the full band came back they finally played a tune with a pronounced clave that I could identify: "The Peanut Vendor," a famous Cuban son first recorded in 1927.
Photo Credit: Mark Sullivan
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