OF FESTIVALS AND FAREWELLS by Cal Koat
What an amazing time of music we live in. The summer festival, once a happening of myth and legend like Woodstock or Monterey is now a weekly occurrence from June through August. We're half way through this year's cavalcade 'o music and I'm already spent.
Here's a brief recap from my perspective in the wings:
The Rio Tinto Alcan Dragonboat Festival
June 21st and 22nd marked the 20th anniversary of the Rio Tinto Alcan Dragonboat Festival in Vancouver. Keeping with tradition, as much of the entertainment took place on terra firma as in the waters of False Creek. Once again, it was my pleasure and honor to showcase an abundance of local, global music talent at the Rogers WorldBeat Stage presented by Channel M. Saturday took us from the native blues harmonies of Asani from Edmonton to Zapata Negro featuring some of Vancouver's finest Latin jazz musicians, Rumba Calzada who recently returned from one of the most exotic festivals on the planet in the rainforests of Sarawak. Three Row Barley turned the stage into a kitchen ceilidh and Vancouver's latest success story, Pacifika warmed the crowd with their smoldering Latin alternative. Sunday, De La Terra's Nuevo flamenco Mediterranean flavours coaxed the sun out from behind the clouds leading to a glorious day of music featuring the otherworldly sounds of Dharmakasa, Vancouver's own cross-cultural beat experience Delhi2Dublin, reimagined Latin funk of Santa Lucia and the Afrobeat big band grooves of Five Alarm Funk. In celebration of the event's 20th year, we threw a rockin' free concert with The Trews from Antigonish and Vince Vaccaro from Victoria. What a night! On behalf of the Canadian International Dragon Boat Festival Society board, I'd like to extend my congratulations to all the performers. Big ups to the guy upstairs as well, for once rain didn't put a damper on the fun.
The TD Canada Trust Vancouver International Jazz Festival
June 2Oth marked the start of the TD Canada Trust Vancouver International Jazz Festival and, for the third year, world.beats proudly sponsored the Urban Groove Series at the Commodore Ballroom, which meant for two days out of 8, I was doing double duty, MCing the WorldBeat Stage at the Dragonboats by day and the Urban Groove Series by night, but the sheer variety and virtuosity of the talent more than makes up for a few lost hours of sleep. Highlights this year included Ryan Shaw, a young singer from the South whose soulful voice rivals the greats like Otis Redding and Wilson Pickett. I don't say that lightly. His multi-octave range, interpretative phrasing and emotionally charged delivery are breath-taking. His humility was also refreshing. He spoke to the audience about being invited to sing Marley in Jamaica and he said, "Who am I to sing the king's music in his own country?" Then he launched into one of the most soaring renditions of Redemption Song I've ever heard.
June 24th, Vancouver's voice of the blues took the stage at the Commodore as he's done many times before, but in this instance as part of a much bigger production including the gospel trio, The Sojourners and roots mavericks, Zubot and Dawson. Refusing to be singled out in the spotlight, Jim Byrnes asked to be introduced by the name of his much-heralded new CD, House Of Refuge. While the tempo of the performance may have been slow, the chemistry between these performers and the spark of Jim's revitalized songwriting was palpable. Favorite quote: Jim began setting up a gospel song about the story of Noah by saying, "If you live in Vancouver, you know that 40 days and 40 nights of rain don't mean shit." House Of Refuge opened the evening for Susan Tedeschi. Think Bonnie Raitt with a bit more bite. Last year she did a walk on during her husband's performance at the series (The Derek Trucks Band). She proved this year that she's every bit the show person at centre stage and a dynamite guitarist (no wonder those two get along).
June 25th, following a surprisingly confident and charismatic performance by young salon singer, Ndidi Onukwulu, Seun Kuti and Egypt 80 delivered the knock-out that would be the highpoint of the series. Not only does he bear striking resemblance to father Fela in appearance and movement, he has maintained his father's second big band and the roots of afrobeat which he inherited. The 18 member groove machine hit the Commodore's sweet spot … a magic point few performers seem to be able to achieve, where the room literally pulses and throbs with energy. And, when they started playing with the time, forcing your head to bop in directions you never thought it could … outstanding!
Big ups to The Grande Mothers and Budos Band who put on very entertaining shows, I'm also becoming fonder of Vancouver's Fond Of Tigers with each passing year. They're soaring arrangements are starting to sound like Jaga, one of my favorite Norwegian nu-music groups. Avant garde fiddler, Jesse Zubot gets the prize for most appearances on the stage (aside from me), performing no less than three shows: first with Jim Byrnes, then with Ndidi Onukwulu and finally with Fond Of Tigers. Many thanks again to the executive of Coastal Jazz And Blues Society, Julie Smith, Ken Pickering and John Orysik for the opportunity to present one of the jazz fest's favorite series for the 8th year.
The Harrison Festival Of The Arts
After 30 years, it's still the sweetest little fest in the west. The location is stunning, the talent is undeniable and the audiences are genuine. There's much to be aid for music in an intimate and relaxed setting, especially with the backdrop of a glacier-fed lake and the majesty of the surrounding mountains. Even the drive up the north side of the Fraser River is one of those great motoring experiences. Congratulations to Ed and Phyllis Stenson (she's been programming this event for 26 years now!) and our good friend, Kevin Jones for inviting Celt In A Twist's Patricia Fraser and myself up the lazy river for another couple of days setting up bands beachside. Highlights included Highwater Jug Band (whose stage set up of weird and wacky instruments looked like a garage sale in progress) - great hillbilly bluegrass and blues. Lehera are a trio featuring multi-instrumentalist, Prachant Michael John and two extraordinary Bangalore musicians, together blending western blues and Hindustani Carnatic music with slide guitar, clay pot, chants and trance. Later the next day they got added beats and blips from sonic scientist Adham Shaikh. Their new album Heart Sky is very cool. Delhi2Dublin seem to find pockets of enthusiastic South Asians where ever they play, and they really seem to get a charge out of this mash up of their familiar dhol drumming with dub samples, sitar and Celtic fiddling. The band managed to bring the sun and sand-mellowed crowd to their feet. The Sunshine Coast Fiddlers Big Trad Band was another delightful surprise. Don't let the name fool you. There were 28 of these rising stars on stage playing everything from vibes to trombones including the massive clutch of fiddlers all under the direction of Alasdair Fraser's brother, Ian. Their tunes were contemporary and remarkably cohesive. Kudos to soundman for getting them up and sounding swell in 15 minutes flat! Ndidi Onukwulu smoldered with another fine performance at the Memorial Hall and that wrapped another terrific weekend of music.
I understand the rest of the fests all had very successful years as well. The Vancouver Folk Fest line up was rock solid with Ozomatli, Spirit Of The West and Michael Franti & Spearhead anchoring the 3 day bill. New suburban splash, Surrey's Fusion Festival had steady crowds for The Chieftains, Jully Black and Jazzy B. Whistler's Music Fest was impressive by the strength of its line up over two days which included Thievery Corporation, The Roots, Bedouin Soundclash, Elvis Costello and the Imposters, Allan Toussaint and many more. The Mission Folk Music Festival (another scenic delight) boasted entertainment from the four corners – Cuba to Tibet and Finland to Zimbabwe. And, a tip of the hat is in order for the inaugural Pemberton Festival, the most massive rock fest ever in British Columbia. They reached their target of 40,000 with very few major problems along the way. Caribbean Days, Festival Vancouver, The Big Time Out in Cumberland, North Van's Party On The Pier … they're still in the forecast before summer fades to fall. It is pretty amazing when you think about it.
