Vitamin J - Doc's Medicinal Jazz

July 10, 2010 - Demon Rich

2010-07-17T08:15:00.000-07:00

Rich Underhill is a very interesting cat! Founding member and stalwart keeper of the flame that is the Shuffle Demons, he's had dalliances with harder-edged acid jazz, larger ensemble work on his album "Tales from the Blue Lounge", and some unique introspections on "Moment in Time" and "Kensington Suite". He's been touring the jazz festival circuit this summer, most recently in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Rich is a talented composer and arranger, and a lot of fun to hang with! MC Mic Control and I had the good fortune to sit in with Demon Rich and the rest of the Shuffle Demons on "Spadina Bus" during their last stop here in Nanaimo about 5-6 years ago. More baritone saxes on stage than you can shake a stick at, and it is still one of the musical highlights of my life.

CHARLES MINGUS - MINGUS AH UM - BETTER GET IT IN YOUR SOUL
ALICE COLTRANE FEATURING PHAROAH SANDERS - JOURNEY IN SATCHIDANANDA - JOURNEY IN SATCHIDANANDA
GONZALO RUBALCABA - IMAGINE: LIVE IN AMERICA - IMAGINE
MICHAEL OCCHIPINTI - CREATION DREAM - RUMOURS OF GLORY
JOEL MILLER - TANTRAMAR - CHICKADEE'S OTHER SONG
PAT LABARBERA - FROM THE HEART - FROM THE HEART
INGRID JENSEN - AT SEA - TEA AND WATERCOLORS
RICHARD UNDERHILL - KENSINGTON SUITE - MEET ME IN THE MARKET
ELASHUK/RIGA QUARTET - ANY ANSWERS - ZOOT SUITE
SONNY ROLLINS - SAXOPHONE COLOSSUS - ST. THOMAS
BARRETT DEEMS BIG BAND - GROOVIN' HARD - GROOVIN' HARD
THE BUDDY RICH BIG BAND - BURNING FOR BUDDY VOL. II - IN A MELLOW TONE
GORDON GOODWIN'S BIG PHAT BAND - ACT YOUR AGE - GUMBO STREET
THE HUGH FRASER QUINTET - RED & BLUE - THANK YOU VERY MUCH
UZEB - BEST OF UZEB - 60 RUE DES LOMBARDS

July 3, 2010 - Government Debates

2010-07-09T16:31:00.000-07:00

An odd subject, but then who would have thought that Vitamin J would get political? Towards the end of the show I played Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band and "Backrow Politics", followed by the Fred Stride Jazz Orchestra and "Opposition Party". It is interesting to hear how each of these composer/arranger/bandleaders verbalizes the notion of politics in a big band score. Lots of chatter, and some very interesting debates!

Keeping with the theme, make sure you get out in your community and support live arts and culture...and do what you can to fight against government funding cuts for the arts and cultural organizations. Arts and culture contribute to the livability of our communities, and give us life!

Bright Moments!

CHARLES MINGUS - MINGUS AH UM - BETTER GET IT IN YOUR SOUL
MIKE MURLEY & DAVID OCCHIPINTI - DUOLOGUE - NEST OF THE LOON
BILL COON & OLIVER GANNON - TWO MUCH GUITAR - HAVE YOU MET MISS JONES
CHET DOXAS - BIG SKY - L'ACADIE
ALEX CLEMENTS - WAITING FOR YOU - WAITING FOR YOU
PHAROAH SANDERS - KARMA - THE CREATOR HAS A MASTER PLAN (EDIT)
FREDDIE HUBBARD - NEW COLORS - RED CLAY
NIKKI YANOFSKY - ELLA…OF THEE I SWING - OLD MACDONALD
LEE MORGAN - THE SIDEWINDER - THE SIDEWINDER
THE IAN MCDOUGALL SEXTET - NIGHTS IN VANCOUVER - A NIGHT IN TUNISIA
GORDON GOODWIN'S BIG PHAT BAND - ACT YOUR AGE - BACKROW POLITICS
FRED STRIDE JAZZ ORCHESTRA - FORWARD MOTION - OPPOSITION PARTY
THE HUGH FRASER QUINTET - RED & BLUE - THANK YOU VERY MUCH

June 26, 2010 - Louise Gibbs

2010-07-03T08:19:00.000-07:00

I've had the good fortune to meet Louise Gibbs on a couple of occasions, both times at the Leeds International Jazz Conference, put on by the Leeds College of Music (LCM) in England. Louise is a Senior Lecturer at the LCM, where she heads up the Post-Graduate Programmes and teaches vocal performance, ensembles, and musicology. Her research interests lay in the areas of improvisation, jazz voice, and professional development.

On top of all this, Louise is also one heck of a vocalist! Her most recent album (with the wonderful Kirk Lightsey) "Everybody's Song But Our Own" gives the listener a strong taste of the unique musical communication between these two. They performed at The Venue at LCM back in late March of 2009 (a show I had the good fortune to see)...of the collaboration between Louise and Kirk, the noted British jazz writer Brian Paisley had this to say:

"... the mutual confidence in each other's ear has led, on both the album and the concert, to a high-wire act that takes more chances than anything I've heard outside the strictly avante-garde."

Keep an eye out for Louise Gibbs...in your favourite CD store and the finest jazz research journals!

Bright moments...

CHARLES MINGUS - MINGUS AH UM - BETTER GET IT IN YOUR SOUL
THE PAT COLEMAN - BOB MURPHY QUARTET - COME RAIN OR COME SHINE - COME RAIN OR COME SHINE
CHRIS DAVIS - BAILE BONITA - KING OF HEARTS
CARON - ECAY - LOCKWOOD - CARON - ECAY - LOCKWOOD - OPTIONS
LOUISE GIBBS AND KIRK LIGHTSEY - EVERYBODY'S SONG BUT OUR OWN - FOOTPRINTS
D.D. JACKSON - JUSTIN TIME RECORDS 25TH ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION - LE SHUFFLE
UGETSU - LIVE @ THE CELLAR - MAYBE YES, MAYBE NO
MARIA SCHNEIDER ORCH. - ALLEGRESSE - ALLEGRESSE
CHRISTINE JENSEN JAZZ ORCHESTRA - TREELINES - DANCING SUNLIGHT
MAYNARD FERGUSON - THE LOST TAPES VOLUME 1 - ELEANOR RIGBY
ROB MCCONNELL AND THE BOSS BRASS - LIVE IN DIGITAL - SQUIB CAKES
THE HUGH FRASER QUINTET - RED & BLUE - THANK YOU VERY MUCH
JACO PASTORIUS BIG BAND - WORD OF MOUTH REVISITED - TEEN TOWN

June 19, 2010 - The Phil Collins Big Band

2010-07-03T08:00:00.000-07:00

Yes, some jazz purists must be quivering right about now, but this adventure has a rather interesting feel to it! Some of you know Phil Collins through his work with Genesis and his solo activity over the years, but the man does possess some rather serious jazz chops. His work with the fusion group "Brand X" in the latter half of the '70's is very tasty, and like many drummers he has a strong appreciation of the roots and heritage of the greats on his instrument. The Big Band album "A Hot Night in Paris" comprises mostly reworkings of Genesis and Collins' solo tunes, but there are also arrangements of standards such as "Milestones", and funk/rock tunes such as "Pick Up the Pieces". It is a fun listen...check it out!

Bright moments...

CHARLES MINGUS - THIS IS JAZZ 6 - BETTER GET IT IN YOUR SOUL
SHARON MINEMOTO QUINTET - SIDE A - SLEEPING PEACEFULLY
TILDEN WEBB TRIO - CELLAR GROOVE - LADY J
BRUNO HUBERT TRIO - LIVE @ THE CELLAR - MY ONE AND ONLY LOVE
MILES DAVIS - KIND OF BLUE (LEGACY EDITION) - ON GREEN DOLPHIN STREET
CAROL WELSMAN - INCLINED - LA FIESTA
CORY WEEDS QUINTET - EVERYTHING'S COMING UP WEEDS - THE POUR
PJ PERRY - NOTA BENE - NICA'S DREAM
STEVE JONES - CHESTER'S WALTZ - SERENADE FOR SILVER
KIRK MACDONALD QUARTET - SONGBOOK VOL. 1 - MANHATTAN GETAWAY
THE HUGH FRASER QUINTET - RED & BLUE - THANK YOU VERY MUCH
PHIL COLLINS BIG BAND - A HOT NIGHT IN PARIS - IN THE AIR TONIGHT
PHIL COLLINS BIG BAND - A HOT NIGHT IN PARIS - INVISIBLE TOUCH
PHIL COLLINS BIG BAND - A HOT NIGHT IN PARIS - LOS ENDOS SUITE

June 12, 2010 - Joe Zabido

2010-06-19T08:12:00.000-07:00

That's what it sounds like when Cannonball Adderley pronounces Joe Zawinul's name on Mercy, Mercy, Mercy. Zawinul had an unmistakable sound, from his early career with Maynard Ferguson, through the time he initially came to prominence with Cannonball, the incomparable Weather Report, and his later solo work. A very strong influence for many keyboardists, he was producing hip, vital music well into his seventies. Take a listen to one of his last recordings "Brown Street", with his group and the WDR Big Band...

CHARLES MINGUS - MINGUS AH UM - BETTER GET IT IN YOUR SOUL
AMANDA TOSOFF QUARTET - STILL LIFE - THE LOOK
BRAD TURNER TRIO - QUESTION THE ANSWER - THE STAR-CROSSED LOVERS
CHET DOXAS - BIG SKY - THE WALK WILL DO YOU GOOD
RANEE LEE - LIVES UPSTAIRS - FIRE AND RAIN
THE CRIMSON JAZZ TRIO - KING CRIMSON SONGBOOK, VOLUME ONE - 21ST CENTURY SCHIZOID MAN
PAUL DESMOND - THE BEST OF - TAKE TEN
KEITH JARRETT - SHADES - SOUTHERN SMILES
CANNONBALL ADDERLEY - MERCY, MERCY, MERCY - GAMES
RICHARD "GROOVE" HOLMES - THE VERY BEST OF PRESTIGE RECORDS - MISTY
CRASH - THE DOCTOR IS IN - NICK'S KICK
GORDON GOODWIN'S BIG PHAT BAND - ACT YOUR AGE - WATERMELON MAN
THE BUDDY RICH BIG BAND - BURNING FOR BUDDY VOL. II - BASICALLY BLUES
THE HUGH FRASER QUINTET - RED & BLUE - THANK YOU VERY MUCH
JOE ZAWINUL - BROWN STREET - BLACK MARKET

June 5, 2010 - Ron Allen (a.k.a. Ashtar Ron Allen)

2010-06-12T08:15:00.000-07:00

Where to begin...I've got to go back to where I first encountered Ron Allen...as a precocious 9th grade student playing in the Senior Stage Band at Applewood Heights Secondary School in Mississauga, Ontario. Carbon dating of DJ Doc (or jumping into Mr. Peabody's Wayback Machine) puts us back in 1973. By the way, that's Ron, not Doc in the Senior Stage Band as a 9th grade student...Doc had to wait until grade 11 for that.

Ron was ahead of the curve, even back then. By the time he left AHSS in 1977 for a short stint in the jazz program at Humber College, Ron was playing solos and music that your humble correspondent is only now beginning to understand. He recorded his first album "Leftovers" in 1980, with such notable musicians as Claude Ranger, Buff Allen, and David Piltch. Later he moved into fusion with "Strangeness Beauty", his own solo project "Saxart Sees the World", and more of a new age bent with many of his flute-based recordings with the Avalon label. His musical journey has been long and varied, with a number of reinventions along the way.

If you get a chance go to YouTube and do a search on Ron Allen...there you will find a number of recordings of Ron on flute, tenor and soprano sax that will simply astound you with their musicality and technique. Thanks Ron, for sharing your encouragement and immense talent over the years...

Bright moments!

CHARLES MINGUS - MINGUS AH UM - BETTER GET IT IN YOUR SOUL
HUGH O'CONNOR - FOR THE FIRST TIME - IN THE WEE SMALL HOURS
STEVE KALDESTAD - BLOW-UP - A FLOWER IS A LOVESOME THING
RON ALLEN - TEMPTATION - BODY AND SOUL
TYLER HORNBY - ROCKY MOUNTAIN JAZZ COMPILATION - SIX MONTHS 'TIL FOREVER
MODERN JAZZ QUARTET - THE VERY BEST OF PRESTIGE RECORDS - DJANGO
DAVE TURNER - EARTH TONES - SKIP
OSCAR PETERSON - NIGHT TRAIN - HAPPY-GO-LUCKY LOCAL (AKA NIGHT TRAIN)
CASSANDRA WILSON AND JACKY TERRASSON - CBC'S AFTER HOURS 3 - COME RAIN OR COME SHINE
CHARLES MINGUS SEXTET WITH ERIC DOLPHY - CORNELL 1964 - FABLES OF FAUBUS

May 29, 2010 - A Jazz Affair

2010-06-05T08:38:00.000-07:00

Last night in Nanaimo was a very special evening...the 5th "Jazz Affair", this year following a "Chicago" (the city, not the band) theme. Starting off five years ago as the brainchild of Cynthia Cormier, this event brings professional musicians, high school bands, and an appreciative audience together to raise funds to support...well, here is the Mission Statement of the Friends of Nanaimo Jazz Society:

"Our mission is to promote arts and culture through music and to provide a nurturing environment for young jazz musicians to reach their full potential."

That says a lot, doesn't it? I had the honour and privilege of once again hosting the evening's proceedings, working with amazing volunteer organizers (thank you Tanya and Heather), sublime student musicians from the Jazz Academy at Wellington Secondary School (thank you Carmella Luvisotto and Steve Jones for the time and energy you share with the students), and stunning pros (Corey Christiansen, Christian Fabian, Ed Littlefield, and Ross Taggart...oh yes, Decadence too). It was a great night and very well-attended...thank you to all who support student musicians wherever you live!

Bright moments!

CHARLES MINGUS - MINGUS AH UM - BETTER GET IT IN YOUR SOUL
FABIAN ZONE TRIO - ACROSS THE TRACKS - MIGHT AS WELL BE SPRING
PJ PERRY CAMPBELL RYGA - JOINED AT THE HIP - I CAN'T GET STARTED
GUIDO BASSO QUARTET - SOUND OF JAZZ SERIES - IN A MELLOW TONE
STEVE JONES - CHESTER'S WALTZ - CHESTER'S WALTZ
GEORGE ROBERT QUARTET FEAT. MR. CLARK TERRY - LIVE AT THE Q-4 RHEINFELDEN - ON GREEN DOLPHIN STREET
FIVE PEACE BAND - FIVE PEACE BAND LIVE - SOMEDAY MY PRINCE WILL COME
HERBIE HANCOCK - HEAD HUNTERS - WATERMELON MAN
THE CLAYTON-HAMILTON JAZZ ORCHESTRA - LIVE AT MCG - SQUATTY ROO
GRP ALL-STAR BIG BAND - LIVE! - MANTECA
GORDON GOODWIN'S BIG PHAT BAND - ACT YOUR AGE - ACT YOUR AGE
THE HUGH FRASER QUINTET - RED & BLUE - THANK YOU VERY MUCH
NOJO - NOJO EXPLORES THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON - US AND THEM

May 22, 2010 - Brad Turner, Esq.

2010-06-05T08:17:00.000-07:00

BT has been here on campus at Vancouver Island University, working with the Fourth Year Bachelor of Music - Jazz Studies students in their final term before graduation. The students are gaining some valuable insights from Brad, both musically and professionally before they all head out on the next stage of their life adventures. Brad has performed in so many different settings (Trio, Quartet, Quintet, Metalwood, leader, sideman) and on so many different instruments (trumpet, piano, drums) tha tthe students cannot help but gain from those experiences.

Congratulations to the great group of music students at VIU, who are winding up their studies! Dates are TBA on the Graduating Recitals...

Bright moments!

CHARLES MINGUS - MINGUS AH UM - BETTER GET IT IN YOUR SOUL
BRAD TURNER QUARTET - SMALL WONDER - 70 MILE
DON THOMPSON QUARTET - FOR KENNY WHEELER - ANOTHER TIME, ANOTHER PLACE
JAMES CARTER - PRESENT TENSE - TENDERLY
ART ELLEFSON SEXTET - TIME TO WAIT - BEST UNSAID
MIKE ALLEN QUARTET - VANCOUVER - GROUSE GRIND
DOUG RILEY'S B3 QUARTET - CON ALMA - FILTHY MCNASTY
ROSS TAGGART QUARTET - THANKFULLY - DON'T CALL BEFORE TEN
DECADENCE - DEMO - MARCHING HOME…
JOHN COLTRANE - DAKAR - CATWALK
DIRTH DOZEN BRASS BAND - VOODOO - MOOSE THE MOOCHE
THE HUGH FRASER QUINTET - RED & BLUE - THANK YOU VERY MUCH
MAYNARD FERGUSON - LIVE FROM LONDON - GLENN'S DEN

May 15, 2010 - A la basse, Monsieur Alain Caron

2010-06-05T07:39:00.000-07:00

I have had the good fortune to see Alain Caron in a number of different settings over the years. My first encounter with him and his music was many many years ago at the Forum at Ontario Place, back in the summer of 1983. They used to run a three day jazz festival there, and one of my most vivid memories was seeing Jaco Pastorius, UZEB, and Miles Davis on the same Friday night. UZEB, with Alain Caron on bass, was the real revelation for me that night. Of course, that started me collecting everything UZEB (and later Alain Caron et Le Band) ever recorded. I think I saw UZEB live on at least two more occasions after that Ontario Place encounter, and I've seen Le Band at least three times as well.

Caron is right up there in the pantheon of great electric bassists, and he's no slouch on the acoustic bass either! I encourage you to have a listen to the breadth of his work from his days with UZEB, his ongoing work with Le Band, and an intriguing release titled "Conversation", where he engages in a series of musical dialogues with various keyboardists. Very tasty stuff, and a great diversity of sounds!

Bright moments!

CHARLES MINGUS - MINGUS AH UM - BETTER GET IT IN YOUR SOUL
ALAIN CARON - CONVERSATIONS - QUESTIONS
MILES DAVIS - KIND OF BLUE - FREDDIE FREELOADER
PAT METHENY - ORCHESTRION - SOUL SEARCH
THE ROSS TAGGART TRIO - PRESENTING THE ROSS TAGGART TRIO - TANARA
CHET DOXAS - BIG SKY - FOR JIM
MCCOY TYNER QUARTET - MCCOY TYNER QUARTET - WALK SPIRIT, TALK SPIRIT
MICHAEL BRECKER - PILGRIMAGE - THE MEAN TIME
DIZZY GILLESPIE - SWING LOW, SWEET CADILLAC - SWING LOW, SWEET CADILLAC
STAN KENTON - KENTON '76 - TIME FOR A CHANGE
THE TAYLOR - FIDYK BIG BAND - LIVE AT BLUES ALLEY - ANTHROPOLOGY
PRIME TIME BIG BAND - FOR OUR FRIENDS - EVIE
FRED STRIDE JAZZ ORCHESTRA - FORWARD MOTION - ODDLY ENOUGH
THE HUGH FRASER QUINTET - RED & BLUE - THANK YOU VERY MUCH
BLUIETT BARITONE NATION - LIBATION FOR THE BARITONE SAXOPHONE NATION - LIBATION FOR THE BARITONE SAXOPHONE NATION

May 8, 2010 - MC Mic Control Reigns Supreme

2010-05-22T09:29:00.000-07:00

Doc was away this weekend, and as you know when the Doctor is away, the MC will play! He's got such great taste and jazz sensibility that the show never skips a beat with MC Mic Control at the helm.

RAY BROWN - SOME OF MY BEST FRIENDS ARE…THE TRUMPET PLAYERS - ORIGINAL JONES
KENNY BARRON - LEMURIA-SEASCAPE - FUNGI MAMA
CHRIS DAVIS - BAILE BONITA - YOU DIG?
BILL COON & OLIVER GANNON - TWO MUCH GUITAR - HAVE YOU MET MISS JONES
BRIANNE DE VERTEUIL & HER SAVVY 6 - DO YOU SAVVY? - ST. LOUIS BLUES
THE IAN MCDOUGALL SEXTET - NIGHTS IN VANCOUVER - POLKA DOTS AND MOONBEAMS
BRUNO HEBERT - ROCKY MOUNTAIN JAZZ COMPLIATION - SWEET AND SOUR
HUGH MASEKELA - INTRODUCING HEDZOLEH SOUNDZ - KA YE OYA
MAYNARD FERGUSO - CHAMELEON - SUPERBONE MEETS THE BADMAN
ARTURO SANDOVAL - HOT HOUSE - FUNKY CHA-CHA
STAN GETZ AND GERRY MULLIGAN - GETZ MEETS MULLIGAN IN HI-FI - SCRAPPLE FROM THE APPLE
CHRISTINE JENSEN JAZZ ORCHESTRA - TREELINES - DANCING SUNLIGHT
ERNESTO CERVINI QUARTET - LITTLE BLACK BIRD - COCONUT BILL
MICHAEL BLAKE SEXTET - AMOR DE COSMOS - TEMPORARY CONSTELLATION
CHET BAKER - JAZZ 'ROUND MIDNIGHT - YOU GO TO MY HEAD

May 1, 2010 - FunDrive

2010-05-22T08:56:00.000-07:00

We just held our semi-annual FunDrive...ol' Doc like the emphasis on "fun", because that's what it is! We rely on community listener support, otherwise our sounds will never make the airwaves. Boy, did our listeners ever step up...we not only met, but we exceeded our $20,000 goal! It was a fun day on Vitamin J as well...MC Mic Control came in to work the phones and also brought in his keyboard. Doc had his Yamaha midi sax with him, and when you phoned in with a pledge, you also got to request a jazz standard. You ask for it, and we play it!

Thanks again for supporting community-based and campus-based radio where you live...it really is the lifeblood of many communities!

April 24, 2010 - Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band

2010-05-22T08:19:00.000-07:00

One of the more exciting big bands on the scene today is Gordon Goodwin's Big Phat Band. Goodwin himself is an accomplished composer/arranger with a rather prodigous output, and community big bands across the world are thankful for that! Many of the charts played by the GGBPB have been published and are being played by high school, college, and community bands...it is good to see such great music being produced, and keeping big bands alive! Don't ever act your age...but do have a listen to the album of the same name...

CHARLES MINGUS - MINGUS AH UM - BETTER GET IT IN YOUR SOUL
GREAT UNCLES OF THE REVOLUTION - STAND UP - STOMPIN' AT THE SAVOY
FREDERIC ALARIE - TAP BASS - WATER IS WIDE
MICHAEL BLAKE SEXTET - AMOR DE COSMOS - INFIRMARY
DIZZY GILLESPIE - NEW FACES - BIRKS WORKS
GREG BUSH QUINTET - CAUSE AND EFFECT - PUSHIN' AND PULLIN'
ROSS TAGGART QUARTET - THANKFULLY - LAURIER LUXURY WALK
THE CHAD MAKELA QUINTET - FLICKER - FLICKER
DAVE FRISHBERG - CLASSICS - MY ATTORNEY BERNIE
DAVID CLAYTON-THOMAS - JUSTIN TIME RECORDS 25TH ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION - SPINNING WHEEL
MAYNARD FERGUSON - THE LOST TAPES VOLUME ONE - DON'T LET THE SUN GO DOWN ON ME
GORDON GOODWIN'S BIG PHAT BAND - ACT YOUR AGE - WATERMELON MAN
GORDON GOODWIN'S BIG PHAT BAND - ACT YOUR AGE - HIT THE GROUND RUNNING
VEJI - V - SCREEAB-BOP!
WOODY HERMAN HERD AT MONTREUX CROSSWIND
PETER HERBOLZHEIMER RHYTHM CONNECTION - MOJO CLUB PRESENTS DANCEFLOOR - MR. CLEAN
THE HUGH FRASER QUINTET - RED & BLUE - THANK YOU VERY MUCH
JACO PASTORIUS - PUNK JAZZ - THE CHICKEN

April 17, 2010 - M.F. Horn 4 & 5 Live at Jimmy's

2010-05-22T08:01:00.000-07:00

M.F., of course, stands for Maynard Ferguson...though on this album he plays like the other connotation of M.F.! "Live at Jimmy's", a wonderful double album, is arguably Maynard's best live recording. It was a bit of a transitional band...up to this point in the mid-'70's he'd been fronting a group of primarily British musicians but this band was a blend of British and American musicians, with the odd (some might say very odd, since he played baritone sax) New Zealander tossed in. The band is on fire, responding well to the assembled audience, with Maynard soaring above the fray. Check out the work on the bari by Bruce Johnstone on both "MacArthur Park" and "Stay Loose With Bruce".

CHARLES MINGUS - MINGUS AH UM - BETTER GET IT IN YOUR SOUL
CHARLES MCPHERSON - LIVE AT THE CELLAR - SPRING IS HERE
STEVE JONES - CHESTER'S WALTZ - LAMENT FOR HUNTER S. THOMPSON
STEVE KALDESTAD - BLOW-UP - SIESTA
SANDRO DOMINELLI - THE ALVO SESSIONS - WICKED GAME
THE AMANDA TOSOFF QUARTET - STILL LIFE - WANDERING
P.J. PERRY - NOTA BENE - GEORGIA ON MY MIND
JOHN COLTRANE - ONE DOWN, ONE UP: LIVE AT THE HALF NOTE - AFRO BLUE
SONNY ROLLINS AND JOHN COLTRANE - THE VERY BEST OF PRESTIGE RECORDS - TENOR MADNESS
THE CANNONBALL ADDERLEY QUINTET - MERCY, MERCY, MERCY - STICKS
THE HUGH FRASER QUINTET - RED & BLUE - THANK YOU VERY MUCH
MAYNARD FERGUSON - M.F. HORN 4 & 5 LIVE AT JIMMY'S - GOT THE SPIRIT
MAYNARD FERGUSON - M.F. HORN 4 & 5 LIVE AT JIMMY'S - MACARTHUR PARK

April 10, 2010 - Burning for Buddy

2010-04-17T08:00:00.000-07:00

There is something special about that sound, isn't there? It is a big, brassy, bold band, with as much collective attitude and swagger as its leader. There isn't anyone quite like Buddy, that's for sure. Growing up in Mississauga, I had the good fortune of seeing Buddy and the band a number of times in the late-'70's through to the mid-'80's, and was always amazed by the incendiary sound the band would create. It started from the drum kit and moved out from there. Buddy would start a rhythm, shout a number to the band, and it was a riot watching them riffle through their music folders to make sure the chart was in place on the stand before Buddy hit the one. Steve Marcus (on tenor and soprano) was an absolute standout and also fanned the flames of the band.

If you want to get an idea of the sight and sound of Buddy's band from that era, I encourage you to check out "Buddy Rich: Live in '78" from the Jazz Icons DVD series
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=26896

CHARLES MINGUS - MINGUS AH UM - BETTER GET IT IN YOUR SOUL
PJ PERRY - NOTA BENE - ARNIE
JOEL MILLER - TANTRAMAR - BOOGIE GAUDET
JAKE LANGLEY - HERE AND NOW - GOODBYE PORKPIE HAT
CHET BAKER - JAZZ ROUND MIDNIGHT - YOU GO TO MY HEAD
CHET BAKER AND PAUL DESMOND - UNKNOWN - AUTUMN LEAVES
CHRIS DAVIS - BAILE BONITA - SWEETIE PIE
PEPPER ADAMS - THE COOL SOUND OF PEPPER ADAMS - SKIPPY
THE HUGH FRASER QUINTET - RED & BLUE - MR. RYGA
DAVE BRUBECK - WE'RE ALL TOGETHER AGAIN FOR THE FIRST TIME - UNFINISHED WOMAN
TIME WARP - THE TIME WARP COLLECTION - BLUE SAXOPHONES
DECADENCE - DEMO - MARCHING HOME
THE ED PALERMO BIG BAND - EDDY LOVES FRANK - DON'T YOU EVER WASH THAT THING?
SYLVIN MARC - '92 L'ANNEE DU BLUES - HALF SCALE BLUES
THE HUGH FRASER QUINTET - RED & BLUE - THANK YOU VERY MUCH
THE BUDDY RICH BIG BAND - BURNING FOR BUDDY VOLUME 2 - CHANNEL ONE SUITE

April 3, 2010 - Easter Bunnies

2010-04-10T08:52:00.001-07:00

Very special thanks to MC Mic Control (a.k.a. Matt Carter) for hosting the show this week, while I was off in the Interior of BC chasing down the Easter Bunny. Matt is truly one of the most talented people I know...co-host of the Impending Loom on CHLY and an on-air personality with Shaw Cable, Matt is also a lead vocalist and tenor player with local ska band The Kiltlifters, one of a trio of bari players in the Pocket Rockets, and baritone player with the ten-piece outfit Decadence. He composes and arranges for both these groups, and he is an in-demand session player. To top it all off, he's a great human being! He's got impeccable taste in food, beer, and jazz, and I know you liked what he spun while hosting the show. Thanks MC!

DUKE ELLINGTON - VERVE JAZZ MASTERS 4 - ST LOUIS BLUES
PJ PERRY - NOTA BENE - NICA'S DREAM
THE CORY WEEDS QUINTET - EVERYTHING'S COMING UP WEEDS - ELLA'S WALK
ELLA FITZGERALD - ELLA FITZGERALD / GOLD / GREATEST HITS - BLUE SKIES
JAMES CARTER - PRESENT TENSE - RAPID SHAVE
OLIVER GANNON - ROCKY MOUNTAIN JAZZ COMPILATION - KELOWNA
STAN GETZ & GERRY MULLIGAN - GETZ MEETS MULLIGAN IN HI-FI - SCRAPPLE FROM THE APPLE
STEVE JONES - CHESTER'S WALTZ - INTELLECTUAL BLUES
MAYNARD FERGUSON - ONE MORE TRIP TO BIRDLAND - CAJUN COOKING
STAN KENTON - KENTON '76 - A SMITH NAMED GREG
CHRISTINE JENSEN JAZZ ORCHESTRA - TREELINES - DANCING SUNLIGHT
CHRISTINE JENSEN JAZZ ORCHESTRA - TREELINES - RED CEDAR

March 27, 2010 - Lew, not Lou...

2010-04-10T08:07:00.000-07:00

I got to see a great show this past Wednesday evening (the 24th) up at the Malaspina Theatre on the campus of Vancouver Island University. The Lew Tabackin Trio was holding court, with Lew on tenor and flute, Boris Kozlov on bass, and Mark Taylor on drums. It was a wonderful evening, and it is too bad that there wasn't a more substantial house. Those that were in attendance were priviliged to hear Lew's artistry on his instruments...for me the gem that was unearthed was Boris Kozlov's work on the bass...especially with the bow! You know the old line..."put down the bow and step away from the bass"? It certainly didn't apply in this case...amazing dexterity, fluidity, and musicality. Thanks to Greg Bush and the Music Department at VIU for putting on another fine evening of jazz!

CHARLES MINGUS - MINGUS AH UM - BETTER GET IT IN YOUR SOUL
CHAD EBY - BROKEN SHADOWS - TIP TOE
GERRY MULLIGAN - LONESOME BOULEVARD - I HEARD THE SHADOWS DANCING
JOEL MILLER - FIND A WAY - FIRST LIGHT CEREMONY
RON ALLEN - SAXART SEES THE WORLD - HOLLOW SHEETS
CHICK COREA & JOHN MCLAUGHLIN - FIVE PEACE BAND - THE DISGUISE
RICHARD UNDERHILL - TALES FROM THE BLUE LOUNGE - SURFING
THE LEW TABACKIN QUARTET - I'LL BE SEEING YOU - LOST IN MEDITATION
CHRISTINE JENSEN JAZZ ORCHESTRA - TREELINES - VERNAL SUITE
ROB MCCONNELL TENTET - THANK YOU, TED - LIKE SOMEONE IN LOVE
NANAIMO MUSICIANS ASSOCIATION BIG BAND - DEMO - SUNNY SIDE OF THE STREET
NANAIMO MUSICIANS ASSOCIATION BIG BAND - DEMO - HIT THE GROUND RUNNING
PETER HERBOLZHEIMER RHYTHM COMBINATION AND BRASS - MOJOCLUB PRESENTS DANCEFLOOR - MR. CLEAN

March 20. 2010 - Swing into Spring!

2010-03-26T16:05:00.001-07:00

...and a fine spring it will be! Saturday March 27th is Nanaimo Daybreak Rotary's annual Swing into Spring event. It is a fundraiser for music student scholarships at Vancouver Island University, with more big bands than you can shake a stick at...I know, I've tried! Two bands from VIU, plus the Nanaimo Musicians Association Big Band (which is why we played a couple of tunes recorded at a recent NMA rehearsal). For more information, check out http://www.swingintospring.ca/

Bright moments!

CHARLES MINGUS - MINGUS AH UM - BETTER GET IT IN YOUR SOUL
ERNESTO CERVINI QUARTET - LITTLE BLACK BIRD - NONNA ROSA
GUIDO BASSO - SOUND OF JAZZ SERIES - IN A MELLOW TONE
KIRK MACDONALD QUARTET - SONGBOOK VOL. 1 - MOULAGE
STEVE JONES - CHESTER'S WALTZ - MEXICANA STROLL
THE OCTOBER TRIO - LOOKS LIKE IT'S GOING TO SNOW - SPRINGS
PEPPER ADAMS - THE COOL SOUND OF PEPPER ADAMS - BLOOS, BLOOZE, BLUES
MAYNARD FERGUSON - CHAMELEON - SUPERBONE MEETS THE BADMAN
MAYNARD FERGUSON - THE LOST TAPES, VOLUME 1 - WATERMELON MAN
NANAIMO MUSICIANS ASSOCIATION BIG BAND - DEMO - HIT THE GROUND RUNNING
NANAIMO MUSICIANS ASSOCIATION BIG BAND - DEMO - MY ROMANCE
THE CLAYTON HAMILTON JAZZ ORCHESTRA - LIVE AT MCG - SQUATTY ROO
THE HUGH FRASER QUINTET - RED & BLUE - THANK YOU VERY MUCH
ARTURO SANDOVAL - HOT HOUSE - FUNKY CHA-CHA

March 13, 2010 - Paralympic Ice Sledge Hockey

2010-03-26T15:56:00.000-07:00

Otto Mattick took the reins for the show, so there is no playlist for you.

On the other hand, I got to see some Paralympic Ice Sledge Hockey action at the UBC Thunderbird Arena over in Vancouver. Sweden vs. eventual bronze medallists Norway. What an amazing game! Sweden took an early 1-0 lead which they very nearly held onto until the tail end of the third period when Norway tied things up. The Norwegians outshot the Swedes a gajillion to three over the course of the game, but the Swedish goalie was simply remarkable. Instead of "sudden death" overtime, they went to "sudden victory". Same thing, different language. With the teams going scoreless in the o/t, they went to "winning goals"...so much nicer than "shootout". The first two sledgers for each team scored...the Swedish player came in and rang his shot off the crossbar while his Norwegian counterpart scored on his attempt, making the final score 2-1 for Norway. An incredible game, and a beautiful sport!

March 6, 2010 - Yo, Victa!

2010-03-20T08:51:00.000-07:00

What a week it has been! From March 2 - 4, I was attending a workshop at The Haven on Gabriola Island delivered by none other than Victor Wooten. For those of you who do not know, Victor is arguably (and for me it would be a VERY short argument) one of the finest electric bassists around. I am still articulating my thoughts on the workshop and will put those up in a later posting (and thank you Pam and "Living for the Health of It" for helping me get some of those thoughts over the air), but I will make a brief comment on the solo concert from the evening of Thursday March 4th.

Outstanding.

There, is that brief enough?

To begin, Victor's solo excursions were sublime. A brilliant technician, he is also a brilliant musician. He used, but did not overuse, a multitude of effects pedals that helped him creat a unique musical tableau for the evening. He invited a number of musicians from the workshop up on stage to perform with him, the highlight of which was a bass duet with a former Nanaimoite and Montrealer now Vancouverite by the name of Jim Bennett. I've had the privilege of performing with Jim in what was then the Malaspina University- College Stage Band, and the Pocket Rockets, and seeing him perform with Decadence and the Kiltlifters. I've always admired Jim's musicality and technique on the bass, and to see him with Victor was a special treat. The played Billy Cobham's "Red Baron", which morphed beautifully into Stevie Wonder's "I Wish", then back to "Red Baron". A magical musical moment, and talking with Jim afterwards, one of the musical highlights of his life.

As I noted earlier, I'll have more on the workshop in an upcoming post...with any luck, we'll have a link to a podcast of the show below, where I managed to squeeze in a brief interview with Victor.

Bright moments!

CHARLES MINGUS - MINGUS AH UM - BETTER GET IT IN YOUR SOUL
ALEX CLEMENTS - WAITING FOR YOU - WAITING FOR YOU
STEVE KALDESTAD - BLOW-UP - A FLOWER IS A LOVESOME THING
BRUBECK BRAID - TWOTET/DEUXTET - IT'S NOT WHAT IT WAS
DWYER/JONES/WHITAKER - LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT MY DAY - I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT YOU'RE IN LOVE WITH ME
JAMES CARTER - THE REAL QUIETSTORM - THE STEVEDORE'S SERENADE
VICTOR WOOTEN - WHAT DID HE SAY - MY LIFE
VICTOR WOOTEN - WHAT DID HE SAY - NAIMA
JACO PASTORIUS BIG BAND - WORD OF MOUTH REVISITED - TEEN TOWN
THE HUGH FRASER QUINTET - RED & BLUE - THANK YOU VERY MUCH
BELA FLECK AND THE FLECKTONES - LIVE AT THE QUICK - HOEDOWN
BUDDY RICH - SWINGIN' NEW BIG BAND - WEST SIDE STORY

February 27, 2010 - Looking forward, and glancing back home...

2010-03-20T07:54:00.000-07:00

Good to be back, and on the air! While the Women's Ice Hockey semi-finals were fantastic, ol' Doc misses our usual Saturday morning meetings. A highlight of this week's show was getting a taste of Christine Jensen's newest album "Treelines". She's put together a Jazz Orchestra involving some of Montreal's (and New York's) finest musicians and creates a soundscape like no other. There is a real maturity and sophistication to her compositions and arrangements that comes through clear to the listener. I must share a brief passage from her liner notes...

"I caught the big band bug when I was fifteen years old while playing baritone saxophone in the Nanaimo Musicians' Association Big Band with my sister Ingrid as the trumpet soloist. I played the baritone saxophone, where I was positioned to soak up the rich bottom end of the orchestrations as we wailed through classics like Pennsylvania 6-5000 and String of Pearls on many a Saturday night."

First, one of the things I have come to appreciate about both Christine and Ingrid Jensen over the years is their respect for and acknowledgement of their musical beginnings and roots back here in Nanaimo. There isn't a release that either of them have put out that does not, in some way, pay respect to the scene here and to those who showed them leadership, guidance, and mentorship. They give back (to the community) what they got, and then some!

The second interesting bit of minutae is that yours truly currently holds down the aforementioned baritone saxophone chair in the Nanaimo Musicians' Association Big Band (and yes, we still play Pennsylvania 6-5000 and String of Pearls on rare occasion)! One of the the things that I have soaked up / absorbed in that band has mostly been the drippings on my shoulder from John Capon's bass trombone...ewwww! Just kidding...I can speak from my own experience that getting to work with such great musicians as John Capon, Claudio Fantinato, Larry Miller, Cameron Wigmore, Morris Macklin, Greg Bush, and (in my book one of the best lead trumpets anywhere) Lee Patten, not to mention two of the finest band leaders on this or any other planet in Steve Jones and Bryan Stovall...well, all this has done wonders for me and what I may loosely refer to as my own musicianship.

Thanks Christine, for tipping your beret back home, and for the great new music you create!

CHARLES MINGUS - MINGUS AH UM - BETTER GET IT IN YOUR SOUL
JODI PROZNICK QUARTET - FOUNDATIONS - HELP ME
CHRISTINE JENSEN JAZZ ORCHESTRA - TREELINES - DANCING SUNLIGHT
SHARON MINEMOTO QUINTET - CELLAR LIVE: THE FIRST FIVE YEARS - SLEEPING PEACEFULLY
LORI CULLEN - CALLING FOR RAIN - I THINK ITS GONNA RAIN TODAY
WIBIJAZZ'N - IN THE POCKET - WIBI FM (TAKE 2)
AL JARREAU - THIS TIME - SPAIN
VICTOR WOOTEN - A SHOW OF HANDS - WORDS OF WISDOM
CHARLES MINGUS SEXTET WITH ERIC DOLPHY - CORNELL 1964 - FABLES OF FAUBUS
ELVIS COSTELLO LIVE WITH THE METROPOLE ORKEST - MY FLAME BURNS BLUE - WATCHING THE DETECTIVES
HUGH FRASER QUINTET - RED & BLUE - THANK YOU VERY MUCH
GRP ALL-STAR BIG BAND - GRP ALL-STAR BIG BAND LIVE - CHEROKEE

Saturday February 20, 2010 - Otto Mattick

2010-03-20T07:51:00.000-07:00

The Doc wasn't in this week, but as happens on occasion, our old standby DJ Otto Mattick came in and put on a playlist for your listening pleasure (ok, that's what we call the Winamp DJ...either Otto Mattick or Otto Maited...get it? Good!). In reality, DJ Doc was catching some of the Olympic activity over in Vancouver...

Saturday February 13, 2010 - Hangin' around in PJ's

2010-03-06T08:22:00.000-08:00

Well, more accurately, it should be "Hangin' around WITH PJ". P.J. Perry was in town last night (the 12th) as Special Guest and clinician at JazzFest 2010. This event is in its 11th year, and provides a wonderful opportunity for young student musicians to essentially work as professional musicians for a day. They spent the morning in a clinic with PJ, performed a noon-hour matinee concert for over 800 elementary school kids, debrief that show with their teachers and the staff at the Port Theatre, and then come back for an evening performance in front of a paying audience...and a capacity audience to boot!

PJ sat in with the Harbour City All-Stars, as well as with the Instructor's Combo, and played to his usual extraordinary standard. I had the good fortune to act as the MC for the evening's activities, and one of the quotes that I found (to use in my comments) described it along the lines of "PJ Perry plays like Shakespeare wrote". It is so true. The after party was great, and I enjoyed chatting with PJ...if I ojnly had time to get a more formal interview with him!

CHARLES MINGUS - MINGUS AH UM - BETTER GET IT IN YOUR SOUL
LOUISE GIBBS AND KIRK LIGHTSEY - EVERYBODY'S SONG BUT OUR OWN - SPRING CAN REALLY HANG YOU UP THE MOST
GUIDO BASSO/DOUG RILEY - A LAZY AFTERNOON - MY FOOLISH HEART
JOANI TAYLOR/BOB MURPHY - THE WALL STREET SESSIONS - I WANNA BE LOVED
BRAD TURNER TRIO - QUESTION THE ANSWER - THE STAR CROSSED LOVERS
CRIMSON JAZZ TRIO - KING CRIMSON SONGBOOK VOLUME ONE - I TALK TO THE WIND
VICTOR WOOTEN - WHAT DID HE SAY? - NORWEGIAN WOOD
P.J. PERRY AND THE EDMONTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA -JUSTIN TIME RECORDS 20TH ANNIVERSARY COMPILATION - HARLEM NOCTURNE
STEVE JONES - CHESTER'S WALTZ - SERENADE FOR SILVER
FREDDIE HUBBARD - NEW COLOURS - RED CLAY
HUGH FRASER QUINTET - RED & BLUE - THANK YOU VERY MUCH
JACO PASTORIUS BIG BAND - WORD OF MOUTH REVISITED - TEEN TOWN
BILL WATROUS AND THE MANHATTAN WILDLIFE REFUGE - MANHATTAN WILDLIFE REFUGE - FOURTH FLOOR WALKUP
WOODY HERMAN - HERD AT MONTREUX - FANFARE FOR THE COMMON MAN
STAN KENTON - KENTON '76 - TIME FOR A CHANGE

February 6, 2010 - Creative Juices Redux

2010-02-13T07:56:00.000-08:00

Wow...just after I made the previous post on "Creativity", I find out that the incomparable Victor Wooten is coming to town to conduct a workshop on...yes, you guessed it...Creativity! Needless to say, ol' DJ Doc registered for it right away. The session is being held at The Haven, a beautiful centre over on Gabriola Island. More information and links are available from Victor's website at http://www.victorwooten.com/moreinfo/thehaven.html

Having seen Victor live (with Bela Fleck and the Flecktones - in diverse settings such as Edmonton, San Francisco, Victoria, and Vancouver), I can attest to the power of his music and his virtuosity. His solo recrdings carry a strong message, one that I am sure will be a part of his presentation at the workshop. There are video clips of Victor's work on YouTube, but for the full concert experience, get the DVD "Love at the Quick" by Bela Fleck and the Flecktones. Vic's latest CD with the group S.M.V. (yes folks, that's Stanley Clarke, Marcus Miller, and Victor Wooten) is titled "Thunder", and is an absolute tour de force. With any luck, we'll have a live interview with Victor Wooten on the Saturday preceeding the workshop...circle Saturday February 27th on your calendar!

Bright moments...

CHARLES MINGUS - MINGUS AH UM - BETTER GET IT IN YOUR SOUL
AMANDA TOSOFF - STILL LIFE - WANDERING
BRANDI DISTERHEFT - SECOND SIDE - SKETCHES OF BELIEF
P.J. PERRY - WORTH WAITING FOR - EVERYTIME WE SAY GOODBYE
MICHAEL BRECKER - PILGRIMAGE - FIVE MONTHS FROM MIDNIGHT
CHICK COREA & JOHN MCLAUGHLIN - FIVE PEACE BAND - SOMEDAY MY PRINCE WILL COME
JAKE LANGLEY - HERE AND NOW - YOU MUST BELIEVE IN SPRING
VICTOR WOOTEN - A SHOW OF HANDS - MEDLEY
BELA FLECK AND THE FLECKTONES - LIVE AT THE QUICK - HOEDOWN
JEFF COFFIN MU'TET - MUTOPIA - MOVE YOUR RUG
BLUIETT - JUSTIN TIME RECORDS 20TH ANNIVERSARY COMPILATION - (YOU'RE STILL) MY GIRL (IN SPITE OF EVERYTHING)
HUGH FRASER QUINTET - RED & BLUE - THANK YOU VERY MUCH
MAYNARD FERGUSON - ONE MORE TRIP TO BIRDLAND - CAJUN COOKIN'
JACO PASTORIUS - PUNK JAZZ: THE JACO PASTORIUS ANTHOLOGY - THE CHICKEN (SOUL INTRO)
NICK BRIGNOLA AND BILL WATROUS - L.A. BOUND - BLUE BOSSA

January 30, 2010 - Creative Juices

2010-02-05T16:15:00.000-08:00

"Creativity", as a concept, is an interesting area of study. Researchers across many disciplines have written on the topic, from Mihalyi Csikszentmihalyi (social-psychological perspectives) through to those trying to understand the creative process in the context of jazz improvisation. Csiksentmihalyi's work, for example, studies creativity in the context of flow or peak experience, identifying the following five stages in the creative process: Preparation, Incubation, Insight, Evaluation, and Elaboration. Whether in a jazz context or an organizational context, creativity is what gives rise to a peak experience in the performer, and is also conveyed through to the listener/audience member. Elina Hytonen studies the impact of the physical performance space on the flow experience of the musician, while my own work is looking at these experiences through a greater understanding of the social interactions/collaborations between musicians which give rise to these experiences.

This past week I had the opportunity to catch a session put on by the Arts and Humanities Colloquium and the Music Department at Vancouver Island University. The session, titled "Dark and Edgy: Jazz, Canadian Poetry, and the Creative Process" featured VIU grad and jazz pianist Brent Jarvis. Brent's most recent CD is titled "Daedalus: The Poetry of Dorothy Livesay", and is definitely worth a listen. The way he creates a soundscape that amplifies Livesay's words is true creative genius. It interests me as a musician, researcher, and as a listener to find out more about what inspires a musician, and to discover more of what gives rise to that creative spark. The juices flow differently for everyone...therein lies the joy!

Bright moments...

CHARLES MINGUS - MINGUS AH UM - BETTER GET IT IN YOUR SOUL
RON ALLEN - TEMPTATION - BODY AND SOUL
STEVE KALDESTAD - BLOW-UP - SIESTA
JODI PROZNICK - ROCKY MOUNTAIN JAZZ COMPILATION - MUST BE RAIN
ERNESTO CERVINI QUARTET - LITTLE BLACK BIRD - MIA FIGLIA
JOHN COLTRANE - BLUE TRAIN - BLUE TRAIN
THREE BARITONE SAXOPHONE BAND - PLAYS MULLIGAN - BLUE PORT
MOTHER OF PEARL - DEMO 2005 - HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA
DAVE BRUBECK - WE'RE ALL TOGETHER AGAIN FOR THE FIRST TIME - TAKE FIVE
KEITH JARRETT - SHADES - SOUTHERN SMILES
JEFF COFFIN MU-TET - GO-ROUND - GO-ROUND
CANNONBALL ADDERLEY QUINTET - MERCY, MERCY, MERCY - MERCY, MERCY, MERCY
THE HUGH FRASER QUINTET - RED & BLUE - THANK YOU VERY MUCH
MAYNARD FERGUSON - CHAMELEON - LA FIESTA

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

2010-01-30T07:34:00.000-08:00

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.

2010-01-19T21:17:00.000-08:00

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