chris wong in sync

You can learn a lot about electric bass player Chris Tarry by surfing through his website at www.christarry.com. Some tidbits I found out from the site: Tarry collects vintage wristwatches, he's been trying to lose weight, his spelling is atrocious and he has a brown dog named Buddy.

Those are just the non-musical facts, of course. The site has extensive information about Tarry's prolific and award-winning career as a Vancouver-based musician, playing jazz and other styles, and bass teacher. But the best source for insight about Tarry's musicality is his striking new CD on Maximum Jazz, Of Battles Unknown Mysteries.

The liner notes reveal he's an avid reader. So Tarry structured most of the songs to flow into each other like chapters in a book. As for the music itself, the tunes point to a number of things: Tarry appreciates and knows how to play in an eclectic range of settings, from hard-edged jazz-rock fusion to beautifully textured chamber jazz to absolutely free improvisation; he's not only a superb five-string bass player, but also an intuitive composer; Tarry has excellent taste in musicians, judging by the strong solo turns and ensemble playing of the 15 instrumentalists he recorded with for the album.

He'll perform with about half of those musicians in a Coastal Jazz & Blues Society-produced concert on Dec. 16 at Norman Rothstein Theatre. Tarry's Collective Conscience nonet will include trumpeters Brad Turner and Bill Clark, guitarists Daryl Jahnke and Ron Samworth, saxophonist Jim Pinchin, keyboardist Chris Gestrin, drummer Dylan van der Schyff and percussionist Raphael Geronimo. Guitarist Robbie Steineger will sit in on one number.

Aside from Geronimo and Steineger, all of the above are part of an eight-piece group that played on some of the new album's tracks. How did Tarry decide who to include in the band, which has interesting instrumentation? "I just said, 'I want a band with all of my friends,'" he says. More friends contributed to other tracks, like drummer Ian Froman, who plays with the always-steady bassist in Metalwood. Tarry also recorded songs in Toronto with guitarist Michael Occhipinti, drummer Barry Romberg, saxophonist Mike Murley, trumpeter Kevin Turcotte and Jahnke (a Vancouverite who happened to be in TO at the time). Finally, guitarist Steve Dawson, violinist/mandolin player Jesse Zubot and guitarist André Stephen of Alma Libre made cameos.

Of Battles Unknown Mysteries holds together, in part because Tarry and recording engineer Shawn Pierce came up with inventive transitions that seamlessly connect the songs. It's also enjoyable to experience the whole album, with all of its styles, because it comes across as an honest and unselfconscious expression of Tarry's musical preferences.

As well, Tarry's ability to pull off the logistically challenging album and concert attests to his remarkable initiative. As his website confirms, the 31-year-old is busy with Metalwood, the trio Junction and miscellaneous gigs such as the Dec. 13-14 tribute to Pat Metheny's Bright Size Life album. At the Cellar, Tarry, Jahnke and Turner-who will play drums-will perform every song on Metheny's classic 1975 debut.

Meanwhile, Tarry teaches at Capilano College, he's one of the teachers at the annual Vanbass Conference, and he wrote a bass instruction book that will be published next year. In other words, Tarry deserves kudos for making an enormous contribution here and beyond.

Call (604) 872-5200 for tickets to Tarry's must-attend concert.

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I have a passion for jazz big bands that began years ago when I played in several large ensembles and heard incredible groups led by the likes of Count Basie and Thad Jones. These days, it's relatively rare to hear working big bands, mainly because of the challenging economics involved in presenting such groups. So I was excited to find out the Cellar booked the 17-member Jill Townsend Big Band to play Dec. 3.

It was a pleasant surprise to see the Cellar packed on a snowy Monday night. Seeing the enormous band spill over the bandstand was also an impressive sight. Hearing the group play was even better. The ensemble's repertoire includes engaging originals and arrangements by Townsend, Bill Coon and others. On those tunes, the musicians conveyed both the exuberant force of a big band in full flight and the more subtle colours of the orchestrations.

With stellar players like tenor saxophonists Ross Taggart and Mike Allen, lead trumpeter Paul Baron, lead trombonist Dennis Esson, Coon on guitar and drummer Dave Robbins, Townsend's band really couldn't go wrong. Band members flubbed a few entrances, but the mistakes were trivial compared to the uplifting vibe they created.

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The Cellar does a tremendous job of showcasing the finest Vancouver musicians, and some from elsewhere, who play straight-ahead jazz. A glance at the Cellar's December schedule indicates the venue is continuing that approach, while also branching out for two nights presented by Coastal Jazz & Blues.

Instrumentalists who are highly regarded internationally for creating adventurous sounds-improvised music, free jazz, the avant-garde or whatever you want to label it-will perform on consecutive nights at the Cellar. Ken Vandermark, the Chicago-based saxophonist and clarinetist, will play Dec. 19 with German bassist Torsten Müller, who now lives in Vancouver. François Houle will be on the bandstand Dec. 20 with Müller and Dylan van der Schyff. Call (604) 872-5200 for tickets.