Not sure what I did to deserve all this press but here is a nice review of my latest album UP A STEP in the Georgia Straight today!
After having a great debut at #31 on theJAZZ WEEK CHARTS we fell back a little bit to #33 this week but we should see a jump
next week. In the same issue they also reviewed Jennifer Scott’s Brasileira: Sonho Meu CD which I’m really proud of to!
Feels good that people like what we’re doing.
Some great happenings over the weekend. Oliver Gannon’s Quartet at The Cellar, a great review by Francois Marchand of The Vancouver Sun of my new record Up A Step, a great interview with RED ROBINSON that will air on the Global Morning News on Wednesday after 8:00 AM, a funny bit on the Vancouver Sun website after our Night Crawlers show and another great interview with John McGlaughlin of The Province. Not sure when that will air. All this plus very fun show with the Crawlers and a nice show by Van Django at The Cellar!
I’m still riding the high from playing with pianist Benny Green on Monday night. Wow! What a way to start a week. Benny as I knew he would be was an absolute gem to deal with and was so generous with his time, knowledge and music. We played to 48 very enthusiastic and complimentary people at my friend Norah’s house. The vibe was happening from the get go. Good people, good wine, good atmosphere and most of all good music. I have to admit I was quite nervous at the beginning as it was a pretty intimate space and it took me a second to get used to the fact that I was playing with a major badass on the piano!!! As the set wore on I got more comfortable and was able to settle in and relax and therefore the music settled in and became more relaxed. It was awesome!
I like Benny because he is like many of the guys that come to play The Cellar. He’s a jazz nerd (just like me). He lives and breaths the music. Its all he talks about, all he listens to and all he thinks about. I managed to get away without spending to much money but he did recommend three things that I have enjoyed immensely. Well, two…I haven’t got the third one yet. We share an affinity for Hampton Hawes and I was missing “Everyone Likes Hampton Hawes” and Benny also recommnended his book called RAISE UP OFF ME that came out in 2001. Here is what Amazon says:
Hampton Hawes [1928–1977] was one of jazz’s greatest pianists. Among his peers from California the self-taught Hawes was second only to Oscar Peterson. At the time of his celebration as New Star of the Year by downbeat magazine (1956), Hawes was already struggling with a heroin addiction that would lead to his arrest and imprisonment, and the interruption of a brilliant career. In 1963 President John F. Kennedy granted Hawes an Executive Pardon. In eloquent and humorous language Hampton Hawes tells of a life of suffering and redemption that reads like an improbable novel. Gary Giddins has called it “a major contribution to the literature of jazz.” This book includes a complete discography and eight pages of photographs.
The last thing that I ended up buying was a JOE HENDERSON date on RED RECORDS called STANDARD JOE with Rufus Reid and Al Foster that is super burning!!!!!
IT ARRIVED TODAY!!! I have been waiting a long time for this CD to come out and it finally has!! The Lewis Nash Quintet – Highest Mountain is currently available at the club and will be available at www.cellarlive.com mid week next week. It is an absolutely tremendous album. The playing is superb and I’m really happy with all aspects. Great design once again by Ian Hendrickson-Smith, not to mention great mixing/mastering, great photography by my man Jesse Cahill, wonderful notes by my friend Andrew J. Scott and if I may say so myself great engineering by…well…me! Okay, I had some help from Adam Thomas. I was nervous about this one as I got to produce it from start to finish just like the ONE FOR ALL CD and Lewis Nash was a real gem to deal with so, that’s it. It’s out and ready for purchase exclusively at The Cellar!
I had the great pleasure of playing Pat’s Pub this past weekend with the Night Crawlers. I had been hearing about Pat’s and have wanted to make it down but have been unable to. What a wonderful place. The bar is fantastic. It’s a big room but somehow still feels quite cozy, the staff (all 1 of them that was on) was really nice, the beer is delciious, most specifically the blackberry porter and the BBQ type menu was awesome. I highly recommend the BBQ Beef Brisket Burger. It’s a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon. The music starts at 3:00 PM and goes until about 7:00. I can’t express enough how important it is that we keep this place doing what they’re doing. Don’t let the neighbourhood deter you from going. The downtown eastside is not nearly as nasty as you think, at least not at 3 in the afternoon. Parking was easy. Find the calendar below and get out and support this joint:
June 16 Mike Allen Quartet
With Miles Black, Adam Thomas and Julian Macdonough
June 23 Bfunk
60’s and 70’s funk and soul – influenced by the likes of Booker T and
The MGs, Maceo Parker and Jimmy Smith
Hammond XK3: Don Hardy
Guitar: Michael Aihoshi
Bass/Sax: Andrew Davies
Drums: Doug Jang
June 30 Say/Jare Gubbels Powrie 4tet
Dave Say – Sax
Fran Jaré – Keys
Brent Gubbels – Bass
Don Powrie – Drums
July 7 Van Django
July 14 Cecilia Monte
All the way from Argentina, this delightful vocalist performs
authentic Bossa Nova in Portugese.
July 21 Daphne Roubini
July 28 Hip Pocket
Aug 4 James Danderfer 6tet
Aug 11 Eve Smith w Paul Blaney
Aug 18 Dave Ivaz
Aug 25 Eli Bennet 4tet
Jillian Lebeck – piano
Adam Thomas – bass
Joel Fountain – drums
Eli Bennet – tenor sax
I have been really loving this NPR concert with The Benny Green Trio playing the music of Monk with special guest Gary Smulyan. Check it out HERE!
Enjoy!
Cory Weeds - Jazz Impresario 