WEDNESDAY REPORT AT THE TD TORONTO JAZZ FESTIVAL

This past Wednesday it was everything Canadian at the jazz festival, ranging from the origin of performers to the repertoire performed at the highest level possible.

The first show I caught was an all-Canadian band lead by Doug Thompson paying tribute to one of the great jazz icons of our time, George Shearing.   It employed the classic George Shearing quintet sound, consisting of vibraphone (Doug Thompson), guitar (Reg Schwager), piano (Bernie Senensky), bass (Neil Swainson) and drums (Terry Clarke).   The arrangements were cool and laid back, with a sense of classical chamber-like quality in the mix.   The band performed to the highest level such great standards and classics such as “Drop Me Off In Harlem”, “Pick Yourself Up”, “September in the Rain”, George Shearing’s “Conception” and his all-time hit, “Lullaby of Birdland”.   What is to be noted of this performance is that three of the members (Thompson, Schwager, and Swainson) have served as alumni of George’s bands at one point in their careers.     Bernie Senensky did a terrific job playing the arrangements and captured the easy swing that George Shearing achieved, and Terry Clarke proved that less is more by providing light drum accompaniment to achieve the light Shearing sound of the tribute group.   Overall, the band was great, paying honour to a great jazz legend.

(FROM LEFT:  Reg Schwager, Terry Clarke, Neil Swainson, Bernie Senensky and Don Thompson)

After the free show, I decided to catch the second of my three ticketed shows at the Church of the Holy Trinity, this time featuring all Canadian talent performing all-Canadian material.   The band was anchored by Juno award-winning saxophonist, pianist and composer Phil Dwyer along with special guest artist (and a good friend of mine), Juno-nominated pianist, composer and vocalist Laila Biali.  To complete the band it featured trumpet and flugelhorn player Vince Mai, guitarist Rob Piltch, bassist Jodi Proznick and drummer Davide DiRenzo.    This was a stellar band making new music from a songbook that I myself have not gotten into that much, but after their interpretations I might as well investigate the songs coming from such iconic Canadian musicians, artists and composers.   Among the highlights of the concert was the hard-bop blues take on Leonard Cohen’s “Tower of Song”, the reggae inspired take on Ron Sexsmith’s “Secret Heart”, the New Orleans’ shuffle groove on Feist’s “Mushaboom”, and Laila’s heavenly vocal amid a spaced out backdrop on Gordon Lightfoot’s “Beautiful”.    I hope a CD comes out of this group very soon, since this was a fresh swinging take on Canadian music rather than the tried, tested and true chestnuts of the Great American songbook.

(Myself and Phil Dwyer)

(Laila Biali and Me)

Overall, a great Wednesday featuring Canadian talent and Canadian music all the way around.   Shows how far Canada has come producing great jazz talent known throughout the world. 

OFFICIAL TD TORONTO JAZZ WEB SITE

http://www.torontojazz.com

OFFICIAL PHIL DWYER WEB SITE

http://www.phildwyer.com

OFFICIAL LAILA BIALI WEB SITE

http://www.lailabiali.com

TUESDAY REPORT AT THE TD TORONTO JAZZ FESTIVAL

On what would have been an off day for me, I decided this past Tuesday to check out some of the great local acts during the Toronto jazz festival, as well as attend an interview with an iconic guitar player.

The iconic guitar player that was interviewed was none other than Bill Frisell, noted for his risk taking albums, conceptualized projects, and highly original tone and approach to the guitar.

For the free show I was treated to the Latin jazz stylings of vocalist Eliana Cuevas backed by an amazing quartet of musicians such as pianist (and real-life husband) Jeremy Ledbetter, bassist George Koller, drummer Mark Kelso and percussionist Daniel Stone.   The rhythms were infectious and spicy from start to finish.  Eliana’s voice was melodic, beautiful, and soared to the heavens.    The backup band really accompanied her well and performed as a well-oiled, tight-knit unit.    Among the highlights were her original songwriting compositions (I can’t remember the titles since they are in Spanish) and her inventive take on a classic bossa nova standard, “The Girl From Ipanema”.  

(L:  Jeremy Ledbetter; C: Eliana Cuevas; R:  George Koller)

(Drummer Mark Kelso and Me)

(Jeremy Ledbetter and Myself)

Walking west I decided to catch the tail end of Ernesto Cervini’s quartet at the Rex Hotel, featuring saxophonist Quinsin Nachoff, pianist Adrean Farrugia, bassist Mark Cashion, and drummer/leader and composer Ernesto Cervini.   In the short set I knew what to expect from such a stellar band.   Great songwriting, well-pulsated grooves, and a great sense of modern swing feel from start to finish.

(From Left:  Adrean Farrugia, Quinsin Nachoff, Mark Cashion, and Ernesto Cervini)

To cap off the night I decided last minute to go to a new venue in the jazz festival this year called the Musideum.   In this new, intimate venue I get to hear a piano/bass duo coming from the likes of Mark Kieswetter on piano and Ross Macintyre on bass.   Coming off fresh off the heals of a great first recording, they primarily played brand new material for an upcoming CD comprising of obscure jazz, standards, and original compositions.   Mark’s piano playing swung, has great emotional feel, and is forward thinking throughout.   Ross’ bass playing had a rhythmic pulse that was invigorating and his tone is one of the richest to come out of the city of Toronto.   As a unit, they managed to gel well together and even have humourous moments in the music to keep it fresh and exciting.   Among the highlights of their repertoire was the Denny Zeitlin Opener “Repeat”, Ross’ dedication to his father’s birthday by playing the Beatles hit “When I’m Sixty Four”, and Mark’s original music such as “Sufferin’ on Dufferin” and “Totem Bar”.

(Mark Kieswetter and Ross Macintyre)

Again, it was another great day of great local talent and jazz music at the festival, so be sure to come out and support great local talent and music!!!!

OFFICIAL TD TORONTO JAZZ WEB SITE:

http://www.tdtorontojazz.com

ELIANA CUEVA’S WEB SITE

http://www.elianacuevas.com

ERNESTO CERVINI WEB SITE

http://www.ernestocervini.com

MUSIDEUM OFFICIAL WEB SITE

http://www.musideum.com

MENU TASTING AT THE BROWNSTONE BISTRO

Last year, I used my Groupon to have a wonderful dinner at the Brownstone Bistro.    I did a review on my earlier blog and was kept up to date on the goings on by the owner of the restaurant, Mark Yacoub.

(Mark Yacoub and Myself)

(Mark Yacoub and Jonathan)

Since that review, Brownstone Bistro has gone through some major changes.   One of these changes was that they signed on as part of TV’s Restaurant Makeover to do a complete renovation of the restaurant from head to toe.   Another change was they got a new head chef and along with it a fresh new menu.

I decided to attend the new menu-unveiling event and I was really impressed by the quality of the food that was served, and the exotic tastes that come with such classy dishes.     Instead of the old Mediterranean menu that was their staple for many years, the cuisine was contemporary fusion at it’s finest.

Among the highlighted dishes I tried were the mini seared paprika beef served with a mushroom salsa.   It was well seasoned, the flavours were tantalizing and the meat was juicy and tender.    The Grilled Chicken tenders were a hit as well, drizzled with a butter chicken sauce, served with mango salsa, and topped on a piece of naan bread with coriander.   It was a great, original take on butter chicken, which is especially healthier since the chicken wasn’t drowned in high-fat butter chicken sauce but the sauce was used to give the dish some flavour.

The hits keep on coming when it came to the seafood dishes.    The cured salmon Caesar salad with topped potato crisps was an excellent remix on the typical Caesar salad dish.    Instead of usual croutons, bacon and the optional chicken, it is really inventive when salmon and potato crisps are used along with romaine lettuce and Caesar dressing.   Salmon also appeared in the menu with a miso maple glaze, topped with an apple and fennel slaw.   The dish was very fresh, invigorating and the flavours were bold and highlighted very well.   My favourite dish however, had to be hands down the mini Indian Fish and Chips.   I LOVE fish and chips, and this take on a classic pub staple is no exception.   It was one of the fun dishes that I tried, and I hope that this will be a menu staple for years to come.   It was so good I wanted another one but was told kindly by the waitress to let others have first and if they are leftovers, then I can have.   It was a great dish that signified celebration and good times throughout.

If you decide to go to Brownstone Bistro in the near future, give one of these dishes a try.   You will be glad you did, taking your culinary senses into new and exciting heights.

BROWNSTONE BISTRO

603 Yonge Street

Toronto, Ontario

M4Y 1Z5

416-920-6288

www.brownstonebistro.ca

OPENING DAY AT THE TD TORONTO JAZZ FESTIVAL

It’s that time of year again.    A time of blazing horns, soulful grooves and heartfelt melodies throughout the city landscape.    When it is the beginning of summer, it means one thing in the city of Toronto:  the TD Toronto Jazz Festival.

I managed on opening day to catch three great acts in which involves big band, contemporary jazz, and R&B/hip-hop.    These acts sure did not disappoint when it comes into ringing another year of great jazz and fun in the summertime at the TD Toronto Jazz Festival.

The first act featured the Brian Barlow Big Band doing a tribute to the music and legacy of Duke Ellington.   Presented by the Duke Ellington Society, it was a great kickoff by an all-Canadian band to the real core roots of jazz, swing and the blues while honoring an iconic composer, pianist and arranger to kick off the festivities.  All the classics were performed, such as “Caravan”, “Mood Indigo”, “Take the A Train” and “In a Mellow Tone” to name a few.    The band was swinging, the solos were hot, and the groove was tight from start to finish.

After a trip to Ellingtonia, I went to my first of three ticketed concert events held at the Church of the Holy Trinity.   This concert featured the solo guitar stylings of Kurt Rosenwinkel.    An accomplished guitarist, Kurt has managed to create a sonic soundscape through effective uses of melody, chordal harmonies, bass lines, guitar effects, and harmonic vocals.    His was an exciting repertoire of original music and standards ranging from “Chelsea Bridge”, “Reflections”, “Pensativa” and “Ruby My Dear”.    It was an enlightening and intriguing concert that opened up the possibilities of what one can do with a guitar and a few effects, in essence being a one-man band.

I was originally going to go home after the Kurt Rosenwinkel concert but decided to linger a while and catch a few songs by the opening main act of the festival, Janelle Monae.   Boy, did I ever make a great decision to stay.  Not only it was one of the highlights of the festival, but also it really showed how dynamic a performer Janelle Monae is from start to finish.     Along with her R&B/hip-hop repertoire, she sang everything from standards (“Smile), James Bond tunes (“Goldfinger), retro pop (“I Want You Back) all the way to her number one smash tune, “Tightrope”.    In terms of performer, she also displayed her inventive and creative uses of tap dance, and she even did live abstract painting during a performance.    I was really impressed from the get go of the performance abilities of this chameleon of a performer and I cannot wait as to what she can come up with next in the near future.

It was overall a wonderful day to kick off a wonderful festival, showing that at 26 years, the TD Toronto Jazz Festival is alive, here to stay, and off to a great start.

TD TORONTO JAZZ WEBSITE:

http://www.torontojazz.com

JANELLE MONAE OFFICIAL WEB SITE

http://www.jmonae.com

KURT ROSENWINKEL WEB SITE

http://www.kurtrosenwinkel.com

KURT ROSENWINKEL AND ME

AN ALEX CHEN SUMMER AT MOXIES

My sister and I decided to take my father out for a special Father’s Day dinner at Moxies.    Moxies is known for the usual fare of pasta, wings, burgers and steaks.   However, what drew my attention to Moxie’s is an exciting summer menu designed by chef Alex Chen.

Alex Chen, for those that are not aware, is the former executive chef of the Beverly Hills Hotel, and received mentorship training under Lynn Crawford of the Four Seasons Hotel in Toronto and Robert Sulatcky at the Four Seasons Chicago.   Mr. Chen describes his cuisine as a cross between classical traditions with some modern influences thrown in.   My entire three-course meal was dishes specially designed by Mr. Chen to enjoy a very unique dining experience.

I started off with the Iceberg Wedge Micro Salad, dressed in a blue cheese dressing topped with bacon bits and radishes.    While scraping the bacon aside, it was a great salad, something simple, refreshing, and setting the palate well for the upcoming main course.

For the main course, I decided to have the Top Sirloin Steak, served with a red wine braised onion jam, rustic point neuf potatoes, grana padano crisp and seasonal vegetables.   The steak was cooked to a perfect medium, retaining the juiciness and the flavour of the meat.   The onion jam was a great condiment that added the sweet and sour kick to the dish.    The rustic point neuf potatoes were French-fried to a golden brown and accentuated the dish well.   The grana padano crisp added the sharp saltiness that takes the steak meal to another level.   The vegetables were cooked perfectly, retaining its crispness and texture throughout, nothing soggy, droopy, or overly tender.   All in all, a great main course meal from start to finish.

I ended the meal with an orange scented vanilla panna cotta, which is Italian for cooked crème.    I tasted the wonderful accents of the orange, and the panna cotta tasted creamy and lush.   A wonderful ending to the meal.

If you decide to go to Moxies for the summer, take a break from the ordinary and sample the menu prepared by a great chef.  You will be glad you did and in the long run you will get more bang for your buck if you were to eat elsewhere at a five star establishment.

ALEX CHAN AT MOXIES WEBSITE:

http://www.moxies.ca/AlexChen

Stewart Goodyear: The Beethoven Marathon

I decided last Saturday to catch the afternoon segment of a landmark event as part of the Luminato Arts Festival.    This event involved a pianist, a performance artist, and 32 sonatas written by a classical giant performed in a single day.

The pianist is a young, world renowned and Canadian born pianist named Stewart Goodyear.   The performance artist is an Indonesian artist by the name of Melati Suryodarmo.   The sonatas were composed by none other than the great romantic composer of the 19^th century, Ludwig Van Beethoven.

The Beethoven Sonatas are among the most iconic works of the Romantic classical repertoire, showcasing immense dexterity, moods and passions when performed.  Mr. Stewart Goodyear throughout his performance showcased these and more through his performance, and to add insult to injury he has managed to memorize note for note all 32 sonatas without the need of music or a page-turner.  

I went to the afternoon showing since out of all the sonatas being performed throughout the day, my favourite happens to be the “Moonlight” sonata in C-sharp minor.    For me, it was the highlight of the day and the performance was very spectacular, in which every note was clearly executed and performed with feeling, emotion, and for lack of a better term, soul.

A word about the performance artist.   To enhance the marathon performance of the sonatas, Ms. Melati Suryodarmo displayed the psychological tensions of patience, exhaustion and stamina in an effective and somewhat avant-garde manner in contrast to the piano playing.   By avant-garde, it was bit of intriguing to see a nicely dressed woman making minimal movements and holding up a mirror while the sonatas were performed.   I was expecting more of a coordinated dance movement to the piece, but the minimalism was what got to me and wondered a bit what the purpose was for including her in the performance.

All in all, it was a great afternoon of classical music performed by a wonderful, fresh young talent that calls Toronto his home.

OFFICIAL STEWART GOODYEAR WEBSITE:

http://www.stewartgoodyear.com

LUMINATO ARTS WEBSITE:

http://www.luminato.com