Georgia Strait "Best Of's"

[M. Childs]

Just picked up the Georgia Strait "Best of Vancouver" issue (I'm sure everybodies seen it by now). I always enjoy that paticular issue of the Strait, and this year, it was great to see some nods to guys like Campbell Ryga (the greatest cat ever) and Brad Turner (consistently mindblowing, as we all know) and Brian's great website here, but man, how ironic is this line "considering how little mainstream media coverage jazz gets in the city..." (I'm paraphrasing here, but the line is quoted on the homepage of the site). I mean, the Strait is one to talk. Our so-called Arts and Entertainment paper is well done, but MAN, if I EVER see a review of a "jazz" album in there, it's usually pretty incompetent (as was the case with the review for Mike Allen's "One Side..." album, and the Metalwood "3" disc). I mean, those two reviews stick out in my mind as the only two jazz CDs I've EVER seen by the Strait, and both were written by some guy with his head buried RIGHT UP THERE, with no clue-- I MEAN NO CLUE-- about what these artists were trying to communicate with these two albums (both are excellent, I reccomend adding to your collection if you haven't picked them up). I mean, if the Strait wants to act so high and mighty about being so-called "non-mainstream media", perhaps they better back it up with something that REALLY differentiates them from the Associated Press. I remember, out of all of last year, ONE feature article on a jazz musician, and it was Bob Murphy, when he did "Zen Brush..." or whatever last year. I could think of 870 other frigging things they could have covered in addition to that one, and instead of countless articles on indyrock/alternative bands/DJs/hip-hop artists in this city. That's not to take away anything from those artists in those genres, respect to them, but jazz is certainly a musical genre that is underrepresented in ALL media, not just "Mainstream". How about a FEATURE article in the RESTAURANT section about the new Cellar? How about a feature article on a local jazz musician a week??? You could do one a week for 15 years and not run out of great musicians to talk about in this city. What do you think, Brian? I mean, it's great that they actually DID put some jazz coverage in the paper, but it seems just too convenient that it's their "Best Of" issue, so they can say "we support jazz in the city, we dedicated a whole page to jazz clubs and artists in there! See!" Yeah I see. Jazz coverage in the most-read issue of the year in order to save face for covering squat in the last 51 weeks.

[This message has been edited by M. Childs (edited September 26, 2000).]

[Justin Marks]

Morgan, couldn't agree with you more on that one. Their review of metalwood 3 looked pretty good in my fireplace. But you have to give vancouver credit for voting the dumaurier festival the best annual festival, beating out both benson of hedges symphony of fire and the folk music festival. Woo-hoo!

[M. Childs]

Hey! Who told you my name was Morgan? I was trying to be anonomous with that "M." thing. Now you've gone and blown my cover. No but seriously, I must know you from somewhere Justin, although the Justins I know, I don't know their last names... It just kind of freaked me out that's all. Anyway, of course after my little rant here, I go home, pick up the still half-read Strait and read a great article on the NOW Orchestra. Thanks GS, it was a good read. I read the "Critics Picks" last night as well, and couldn't quite figure that one out. One critics assesment of the "best show" category was based on how "stoned" the audience was. Anothers was based on how "loaded" he and his girlfriend got, and the fact that he bought a sweatshirt. C'mon. The best shows that happened last year, in NO PATICULAR ORDER; Brad Turner at the Mojo Room, three times stand out in my mind, all tied:
1) With Mike Murley
2) With Seamus Blake
3) That night that Mike Allen sat in all night, and Denzel Sinclaire sang,and Dave Robbins was playing drums and they just blew that mofo out! Tore the roof off the place.
4) Honorable mention goes to the night Michael Blake was there and the night that two really nice guys from New York sat in and proved that being from New York does not neccecarily make you the best players in the room.

Roy Haynes at the Vouge: There was some debate about this on this forum before, people doing silly things like comparing Brad's performance that night to Roy's. That' silly. I loved Brad's set, and I loved Roy's set, and the whole night was just beautiful. 'Nuff said.

Eric Alexander at the Cellar with Ross Taggart, Andre LaChance and Dave Robbins;

Okay, anybody that saw this one knows that it ended a little weird (I won't elaborate on that, you had to be there). But tensions aside, having Peter Bernstein sit in all night was pretty amazing. Ross on RHODES swung his ass off, consistently coming up with new ways to make 54 keys sound like 88. Andre took probably the most incredible bass solo I've ever seen that night, the crowd was dead silent while he went off, then erupted into cheering at the end of it. Dave was amazing. Simply incredible that night. It was great to note the Vancouver guys were not content to just sit there and "ride-along" on the coattails of Bernstein and Alexander (who were putting on quite a show). Our local fellows PUSHED these great musicians, forcing them to invent, to create, to swing and swing HARD. The result was a night that I (and all my friends at Cap) will not soon forget. We're STILL talking about that one.

Rob McOnnell and the Boss Brass 10, at the Gateway Theatre in Richmond/North Shore Theatre;

I saw this show twice, the first night in Richmond, and the last night they played, which was at the theatre on Londsdale in North Van. Both were great,and it's hard to put one above the other, but something about the first night just sticks in my mind, I think I just like the theatre in Richmond better. The musicianship sure didn't change from night to night; both were phenomenal, Alex Dean Mike Murley and PJ Perry battling on "Two Bass Hit" was the highlight of BOTH nights, as well as Guido Basso playing "Lush Life", with the fattest, roundest, nicest fluglehorn sound I've ever heard. Oh yeah and Terry Clarke rules.

So, that's what I'd pick anyway. Of course if I was a strait critic I'd have to rule it down to one, which would be really hard for me to do, because it's hard for me to judge things like that. I try to take each show as an event in itself and take what I can from each. Anyway, enough from me, what would you guys pick?

[M. Childs]

Oh yeah, and Brad with Seamus at the Cellar. Both nights. Amazing. That's all.

[Justin Marks]

Maybe you'd remember me better as River People.....
I agree with all your choices for shows although i didn't get to see all of them. How about a new category- funniest show. I think that would have to be the night the horns from tom Jones' group sat in with Brad's trio at the mojo. Truly hillarious. And of course you can't forget Brad mehldau for best show....That cat is fucking incredible. Roy Haynes' group was wicked too. Later

[This message has been edited by Justin Marks (edited September 27, 2000).]

[This message has been edited by Justin Marks (edited October 01, 2000).]