January 23, 2010 - Great Big Bands (Locally, that is...)

We are fortunate, in these parts, to have two (count 'em, two) superb big bands...the Nanaimo Musicians' Association (NMA) Big Band and the Mt. Arrowsmith Big Band (out of Qualicum Beach). On Thursday Jan. 21st, Arrowsmith made the trek southward and performed at the Malaspina Theatre on the Vancouver Island University (VIU) campus, and by all accounts it was a great show. Unfortunately the Doctor (moi) couldn't make it to the gig, which featured the compositions and arrangements of Greg Bush (Professor of Jazz Studies at VIU) and the vocal stylings of Lauren Bush (yes, his daughter). Greg pens a fine chart, and you should check out his website at http://gregorybush.com His cd, "Cause and Effect" is pretty darned solid too...do pick it up and have a listen.

I think it is about tome these two groups, the NMA and Arrowsmith, performed together at say...the Port Theatre here in Nanaimo. Bill it as a "Battle of the Big Bands"...each band plays a set, then they combine at the end for a massive epic number. This is an idea with merit, and with the recent successes of the NMA at the "Pygmy Ballroom Big Band Swing Celebration" held here in November 09, it proves that there might just be a market waiting to be tapped...

Bright moments...


CHARLES MINGUS - MINGUS AH UM - BETTER GET IT IN YOUR SOUL
KIRK MACDONALD QUARTET - SONGBOOK VOL. 1 - NEW PIECE
NIMMONS N' NINE PLUS SIX - THE SOUND OF JAZZ SERIES - EMILY
BRENT JARVIS - DAEDALUS: POETRY BY DOROTHY LIVESAY - ALIENATION
DON THOMPSON QUARTET - FOR KENNY WHEELER - K.T.T.
PJ PERRY CAMPBELL RYGA - JOINED AT THE HIP - ROYAL TEASE
GREG BUSH QUINTET - CAUSE AND EFFECT - ONE FOR WOODY
OLIVER NELSON - THE BLUES AND THE ABSTRACT TRUTH - STOLEN MOMENTS
DAVE TURNER - EARTH TONES - THE FEELING OF JAZZ
STEVE JONES - CHESTER'S WALTZ - DORITOS AND SHIRAZ
VEJI - V - THANK YOU VERY MUCH
ED PALERMO BIG BAND - EDDY LOVES FRANK - ECHIDNA'S ARF (OF YOU)

January 16, 2010 - Ther first post, but not the last.

Welcome to the first post on the brand new Vitamin J blog! The show has been airing since the summer of 2004 on CHLY 101.7 FM Radio Malaspina, a community-based campus radio station. The community is Nanaimo BC, a Canadian city of 85,000 situated on the eastern coast of Vancouver Island on the Strait of Georgia. The campus is Vancouver Island University, "a dynamic, internationally known university supporting a student population in excess of 18,000 full-and part-time learners, including 1100 international students, over 1000 aboriginal students, and employing over 2,000 faculty and staff." As a radio station it is a unique hybrid that serves both its constituencies quite well.

Every week this space will contain the playlist (Artist - Album - Selection) from the most recent edition of Vitamin J. There will occasionally be some miscellaneous ramblings on the jazz scene here in Nanaimo (and elsewhere), some of the featured tracks/performers from the show, and whatever else is deemed worthy to toss onto the ol' blog. Thanks for tuning in, and hope you enjoy the ride.

Bright moments to all...


CHARLES MINGUS - THIS IS JAZZ 6 - BETTER GET IT IN YOUR SOUL
STEVE KALDESTAD - BLOW-UP - STANLEY
HUGH FRASER'S BONEHENGE - HUGH FRASER'S BONEHENGE - ISLAND MAN
KEVIN TURCOTTE - THE SOUND OF JAZZ SERIES - I CAN'T GET STARTED
CHET BAKER - JAZZ 'ROUND MIDNIGHT - YOU GO TO MY HEAD
SHARON MINEMOTO QUINTET - SIDE A - SLEEPING PEACEFULLY
STAN GETZ - SWEET RAIN - SWEET RAIN
MAYNARD FERGUSON - THE LOST TAPES VOLUME ONE - THE ITALIAN SUITE
CHICK COREA & JOHN MCLAUGHLIN - FIVE PEACE BAND - IN A SILENT WAY / IT'S ABOUT THAT TIME
AL DIMEOLA, STANLEY CLARKE AND JEAN-LUC PONTY
- AL DIMEOLA, STANLEY CLARKE, AND JEAN-LUC PONTY - RENAISSANCE
JEAN-LUC PONTY - ENIGMATIC OCEAN - TRANS-LOVE EXPRESS
THE HUGH FRASER QUINTET - RED & BLUE - THANK YOU VERY MUCH
FRED STRIDE JAZZ ORCHESTRA - FORWARD MOTION - OPPOSITION PARTY