Then I decided I simply wasn’t drinking enough coffee.
So I went to every festival event for the day. The Marc Atkinson Trio on the Esplanade rooftop was simply a glorious concert. The sun was shining; a beautiful breeze kept things comfortable; and one faithful JazzFest supporter was provided roving shade with his umbrella for those seated at tables without. (Thanks, Daddy B!) Listeners were kicking off their shoes and putting their feet up—if there was an empty chair near them, that is, and there weren’t too many. By the time the trio moved into some island-style guitar, I was already imagining our rooftop as a little oasis far, far away from the daily grind. Now, “island style” may be a personal reference point; or perhaps there are correspondences between Spanish guitar technique and the kind of guitar I associate with island music. The point is, it’s the easy sounds and rhythms that just carry you away and make life seem only beautiful. Ultimately, the variety of musical styles this trio incorporates into its repertoire makes boundaries meaningless—and that is a good thing, trust me. By the time they were playing their last tune, I think the audience had already decided not to let them go. One more song… Play us one more song!
The evening show began with Verismo—a Calgary band whose name means (I think you can choose the one you like best): bucolic opera, a brand of espresso machine, a metal band from the U.K., or “truth” in Italian. As described in the JazzFest brochure, this is straightforward jazz by accomplished musicians. The sax duo was an interesting element here, different from other bands I’ve heard at JazzFest, except of course the big bands. Two very different players whose alternating unison, parts, and solo created texture and variation and interest.
Then Sinne. A concert that defies words. (But I will try.) Vocally breathtaking and unexpected at every turn. Warm and sophisticated and captivating, performer and music alike. Original and surprising without ever leaving you feeling off balance or unprepared. Sinne performed disarming renditions of familiar tunes (no one will soon be forgetting her sultry, expansive version of “The Sound of Music”) and original compositions by Sinne herself, and the show was pure magic—beginning to end. If we are so fortunate to have this artist come to Medicine Hat again, I will say unequivocally: You do not want to miss her.
Now (I’m writing this Saturday morning) I have surprised myself by making it to a third late show, and I intend to catch tonight’s too. Without going into detail at this point—still a little saturated—now with music and caffeine—I must say that if you haven’t made it to one of these late venues yet, you are really missing something. I can’t quite put my finger on how JazzFest selects the bands to put in this venue, but there’s a reason, and it’s a good one. Check out Jonas Kullhammar tonight. Based on what I’ve heard the last three nights, you’ll be very glad you did. -CGS
The Marc Atkinson Trio - Joey Smith on stand-up bass, Brett Maartens on acoustic rhythm guitar and Marc on lead guitar
Bizzy and The Bee Threez performing on the patio at Earls - Darren Bourne on Hammond B3, vocalist Bizzy Bourne, Jimmy Johnston on drum kit, Jae Cho on bass
Verismo's evening performance in the Esplanade theatre - Derek Stoll on piano, Pat Belliveau on saxophone, bassist Kodi Hutchinson, Jeremy Brown on Sax, and John De Weal playing drums
Sinne Eeg
Danish vocalist Sinne Eeg performing in the Esplanade theatre with her group: Nikolaj Hess on piano, Joshua Ginsburg on bass, and Jochen Rueckert on drums
Late-night performance in front lobby of Esplanade theatre - clockwise from bottom left; Karl Schwonik, Kodi Hutchinson, Chris Andrew, Dave Renter
Jesse Peters trio - Jesse on keyboard, Matthew Atkins on drums, Travis Switzer on bass guitar - entertaining a super crowd at the Local Public Eatery
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